Virat Kohli Shatters Ricky Ponting's All-Time Record With Unbeaten 65 In Vizag

Ending the 3-match ODI series against South Africa with over 300 runs to his name, Virat Kohli offered further testament to his prolonged mastery in the format. With two centuries and one unbeaten half-century against the Proteas in the series, Kohli has established a new benchmark for consistency in One Day International cricket. His superb, unbeaten 65 off 45 balls in the decisive third ODI in Visakhapatnam was not just a match-winning effort in a successful chase, but also his 16th score of fifty or more against South Africa in the 50-over format. The milestone elevated him to the top of the all-time list, surpassing the long-standing joint record of 15 held by cricketing legends Ricky Ponting and Kumar Sangakkara.

Kohli's unparalleled appetite for runs against one of cricket's most formidable bowling attacks now includes seven centuries and nine half-centuries, confirming his status as the South African side's perennial nemesis.

This milestone highlighted the Indian stalwart's knack for performing on the big stage, especially in chases, where his temperament and ability to absorb pressure have been instrumental in India's success. By converting a great statistical tie into an outright personal record, Kohli continues to rewrite the record books, setting standards that are becoming increasingly difficult for others to reach.

Players With Most 50+ Scores Against South Africa In ODIs:

Virat Kohli (India)

- Matches: 34

- Runs: 1806

- 50+ Scores: 16

Ricky Ponting (Australia)

- Matches: 48

- Runs: 1879

- 50+ Scores: 15

Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

- Matches: 44

- Runs: 1789

- 50+ Scores: 15

Rahul Dravid (India)

- Matches: 36

- Runs: 1309

- 50+ Scores: 14

Steve Waugh (Australia)

- Matches: 47

- Runs: 1581

- 50+ Scores: 14

In ODI cricket, Virat Kohli has been hailed as the ultimate GOAT, with some even rating him over the great Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli already has 52 ODI hundreds in the format, the most for a player in any format of the game. With the 2027 World Cup still far away, the batter has been backed to score at least 10 more centuries in the format, and get closer to breaking Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries in international cricket. 

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team Virat Kohli Ricky Ponting India vs South Africa 2025, India Cricket