# Auckland Milestone: Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Reach 13,000 ODI Runs at Number Three

> During the series opener against New Zealand at Eden Park, Virat Kohli crossed 13,000 runs batting at number three, joining Sachin Tendulkar in an elite batting milestone.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-11-04 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/auckland-men-virat-kohli-ka-naya-kirtimana-tisare-nnbara-para-13000-odi-rana-banane-vale-pahale-ballebaja-bane-56228 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Virat Kohli, India vs New Zealand, ODI Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Eden Park

Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli achieved another unprecedented milestone in one day international cricket during the opening fixture of the five match series against New Zealand at Auckland's Eden Park. Chasing a modest target, Kohli walked out at his customary number three position and, upon nudging his twelfth run of the innings, became the very first batter in one day international history to aggregate 13,000 runs at the number three spot.

## Joining Sachin Tendulkar in Rare Batting Company
Crossing the 13,000 run mark while anchored to a single batting slot has been achieved only once before in the history of fifty-over cricket, when Sachin Tendulkar amassed his runs as an opening batsman. Kohli has now become only the second cricketer ever, following Tendulkar, to score 13,000 or more ODI runs from a single batting position. Over the course of his illustrious career, Kohli has slotted in at number three in 254 matches across 251 innings, constructing his tally of more than 13,000 runs at a remarkable batting average of 61.

## All-Time Run Accumulators at the One-Down Slot
Looking at the historical charts for number three batters in one day cricket, Kohli now sits unchallenged at the summit. Australia's Ricky Ponting remains the only other player in international cricket history to have breached the 10,000 run barrier from this specific batting slot, having finished his career with 12,662 runs at one down. Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Sangakkara occupies third place on the list with 9,747 runs, followed by South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis with 7,774 runs, and New Zealand's Kane Williamson in fifth position with 6,504 runs. With four fixtures still remaining in this ongoing bilateral tour, Kohli has ample opportunity to extend his statistical lead even further.

## Sharp Slip Catch Anchored New Zealand's Cheap Collapse
Prior to his record-setting exploits with the bat, Kohli had already left his mark on the contest with an athletic moment in the field. New Zealand struggled right from the outset after electing to bat first, folding meekly for a total of just 185 runs. During that innings, debutant paceman Anshul Kamboj induced an outside edge from Kiwi batter Nathan Smith, and Kohli reacted swiftly at second slip to pull off a sensational diving catch. His spirited celebration set the tone for the fielding side. When India began their chase of 186, opening batsman Rohit Sharma fell in the very first over with the team score at just one, departing for a duck. Kohli immediately took charge of the situation and steered India while reaching his historic milestone.

## What this means for you
Virat Kohli setting this all-time batting record sets a massive benchmark for consistency in international limited-overs cricket.

- **Historical Significance:** This achievement proves the rare longevity and elite consistency required to dominate international cricket from a single specialist batting slot. It establishes a statistical barrier that could stand unbroken by modern top-order batters for generations.
- **Impact on the Series:** Setting this milestone right in the opening match delivers a huge psychological advantage to India across the five-match series. The hosts must now recalibrate their bowling plans against an in-form batting mainstay on their own home turf.
- **Viewer and Fan Experience:** Cricket enthusiasts across the world are witnessing a modern batting masterclass reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar's legendary era. Fans can track further milestones across the remaining four matches of this bilateral tour.
- **Batting Order Stability:** Kohli absorbing early match pressure after Rohit Sharma's first-over dismissal reinforces total stability in India's top order. This allows the incoming middle-order batters to operate with complete freedom while chasing low targets.

## Why this happened
This milestone materialized due to Virat Kohli's decade-long specialization at the number three spot combined with an extraordinarily high batting average.

- **Dedicated Specialist Role:** Team India has consistently utilized Kohli at the critical one-down slot throughout his limited-overs career. Batting in 251 innings at this single position gave him the platform to build an unprecedented run tally.
- **Unrivaled Batting Average:** Maintaining an average of 61 across more than 250 matches allowed Kohli to accumulate runs far faster than past greats. This relentless consistency enabled him to surpass legends like Ricky Ponting and breach the 13,000-run ceiling.
- **Match Matchup Context:** After bowling New Zealand out for 185, India lost Rohit Sharma in the opening over at a score of just one. That sudden early wicket brought Kohli to the middle in the opening minutes of the chase, where he quickly notched the required 12 runs.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many runs has Virat Kohli scored batting at number three in ODIs?
Virat Kohli has scored over 13,000 runs while batting at the number three position in one day internationals.

### 2. How many runs did Kohli need in this match to reach the milestone?
Kohli crossed the 13,000-run milestone upon completing the 12th run of his innings against New Zealand.

### 3. Who was the first player in ODI history to score 13,000 runs at a single batting position?
Sachin Tendulkar was the first player to achieve this feat while batting in his primary slot as an opening batsman.

### 4. What is Virat Kohli's batting average at the number three position in ODIs?
Kohli holds a batting average of 61 across 251 innings in 254 matches at the number three position.

### 5. Who is the only other batter to score over 10,000 ODI runs at number three?
Australia's Ricky Ponting is the only other batsman to do so, finishing with 12,662 runs at number three.

### 6. What was New Zealand's total score in the first ODI at Auckland?
New Zealand were bowled out for a total of 185 runs in their first innings at Eden Park.

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