Virat Kohli Joins Tendulkar in Elite ODI Run-Chasing Club:

New Delhi: Virat Kohli etched his name deeper into cricket’s record books as he became only the second batter to score 8000 runs in ODI run chases during India’s ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia in Dubai on Tuesday.

Kohli, known for his unmatched consistency while chasing, took 159 innings and 301 matches to achieve the feat, following in the footsteps of his idol, Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian legend leads the chart with 8720 runs from 232 innings, while Kohli now sits second, ahead of current Indian captain Rohit Sharma (6115 runs).

The milestone moment came in the 16th over of India’s 265-run chase, when Kohli stylishly flicked a short-of-a-length delivery from Nathan Ellis behind square leg for a boundary. At the start of the match, he needed just 21 runs to reach the landmark, which he accomplished in signature fashion.

Chase Master: Kohli’s Dominance in ODI Run Chases

Kohli’s record while chasing is nothing short of legendary:

Out of his 51 ODI centuries, a staggering 28 have come while batting second, making him the ultimate chase master.
He leads the share of centuries in ODI chases, ahead of Tendulkar, who had 17 tons, and Rohit Sharma, who has 16 centuries in run chases.
Kohli has scored over 5900 runs in successful chases, with 70% of his total runs coming in Indian victories—the highest percentage for any batter in ODI history.
With his half-century in the semi-final, he also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most 50-plus scores in ODI chases. Kohli now has 24 such scores, overtaking Tendulkar’s 23.

These statistics solidify Kohli’s reputation as the greatest chaser in modern-day cricket.

Kohli Becomes Second-Highest Catch-Taker in ODIs

Kohli’s achievements aren’t limited to batting. In a stellar fielding display, he moved up to the second spot on the list of most catches in ODIs (by non-wicketkeepers), surpassing former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

The defining moment came when Kohli caught Nathan Ellis at long-on off Mohammed Shami, taking his 161st ODI catch—one more than Ponting’s 160 catches in 375 matches.

Earlier in the match, he had already caught Josh Inglis, bringing him level with Ponting. With this feat, only Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (218 catches in 448 matches) remains ahead of Kohli in the list.

Kohli’s fielding excellence was also evident earlier in the tournament when he surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin’s 156 catches, making him India’s most successful fielder in ODIs.

Kohli’s Remarkable ODI Chase & Fielding Records

Most Runs in ODI Run Chases

Rank	Player	Runs	Average
1	Sachin Tendulkar (IND)	8720	42.33
2	Virat Kohli (IND)	8003*	64.54
3	Rohit Sharma (IND)	6115	49.71
4	Sanath Jayasuriya (SL)	5742	29.44
5	Jacques Kallis (SA)	5575	44.95

Most Catches in ODIs (By Non-Wicketkeepers)

Rank	Player	Catches	Matches
1	Mahela Jayawardene (SL)	218	448
2	Virat Kohli (IND)	161*	301
3	Ricky Ponting (AUS)	160	375
4	Mohammad Azharuddin (IND)	156	334
5	Ross Taylor (NZ)	142	236

Kohli’s ability to dominate both with the bat and in the field further cements his place as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. As he continues to break records, cricket fans around the world eagerly await what’s next for the Indian superstar.