Virat Kohli reached another major milestone on January 11, 2026, during the first ODI against New Zealand at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
The moment he walked onto the field, the 37-year-old created history by playing his 309th One Day International for India. With this appearance, he moved past former captain Sourav Ganguly’s total of 308 matches and entered the list of top five Indian players with the most ODI games.
This achievement once again showed Kohli’s excellent fitness, long career, and strong commitment since his debut in August 2008. His name now stands alongside legendary cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, and Mohammad Azharuddin.
Sachin Tendulkar still holds the top spot with a world-record 463 ODI matches. MS Dhoni follows with 347 games, Rahul Dravid is next with 340, and Mohammad Azharuddin has 334. Ganguly now sits just behind Kohli in the order. By joining this elite list, Kohli proved how consistently he has performed over the years.
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In ODIs, he has already scored 14,557 runs with 53 centuries and 76 half-centuries, maintaining a superb average of 58.46 and a strike rate of 93.66. Even after stepping away from Test and T20 cricket, he remains focused on ODIs and continues to be one of India's most dependable batters. He also entered this series in excellent form, having recently scored centuries against South Africa.
The first ODI in Vadodara began with New Zealand setting a target of 300 runs, and India decided to field first. Kohli’s special moment came before he even got the chance to bat, showing that his career longevity is as impressive as his run-scoring ability.
Fans at the stadium and across the country celebrated this milestone and looked forward to him reaching more personal records, including his journey toward the 28,000-run mark in international cricket. His continued presence in the team highlights how hard work, discipline, and peak fitness can keep a player at the top for many years.