Virat Kohli breaks AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar records after India’s win in Visakhapatnam

Team India batter Virat Kohli broke several records and surpassed milestones held by MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers during the third ODI against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, December 6. The right-handed batter silenced critics by scoring his fourth consecutive half-century in the 50-over format.

India opted to bowl first after winning the toss and restricted South Africa to 271 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma added a 155-run stand for the opening wicket. The match was already in India’s control when Kohli came to the crease. He scored 65 off 46 balls, and the hosts finished the chase with 61 balls remaining.

Virat Kohli Secures Player of the Series After Dominating With the Bat

Virat Kohli won the Player of the Series award after finishing as the leading run-getter. The right-handed batter scored 302 runs at an average of 151 and a strike rate of 117.05. He began with two centuries (135 and 102) and ended the series with a half-century.

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Kohli also finished 2025 as India’s highest ODI scorer of the year, beating Rohit Sharma by just one run. His 302 runs are his highest in any ODI series of three matches or fewer. Earlier, he had scored 293 runs against Sri Lanka in 2023, where he also made two centuries.

Kohli hit 12 sixes in this series, the most he has ever struck in a single ODI series or tournament. He had previously smashed nine sixes against Sri Lanka in 2023 and during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli Breaks AB de Villiers’ Record; Goes Past MS Dhoni

The 37-year-old batter became the only player to score more than 600 ODI runs at a single venue with an average over 100. He has scored 652 runs in eight games at the ground, including three centuries and three fifties, with an incredible average of 108.66.

Best Average at a Venue (Minimum 600 Runs):

Kohli has ended a year for the sixth time with more than 500 ODI runs at an average above 60. He moved past MS Dhoni, who had achieved the feat five times. Only AB de Villiers and Michael Bevan have done it four times each.

Most 600+ Run Years With a 60+ Average:

Virat Kohli Extends His Lead as the Most Player of the Series in International Cricket

Virat Kohli added another major milestone to his career by winning yet another Player of the Series award, taking his overall tally to 22 across formats. He secured 19 awards in bilateral series along with Player of the Tournament titles in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Kohli is now the player with the most POTS/POTT awards in international cricket, moving past Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 20. In ODIs, Kohli has won 12 Player of the Series awards, while Tendulkar still leads the list with 15.

He also continued his strong run of form by registering four consecutive ODI half-centuries for the ninth time in his career and no other player has done it more than four times.

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