5 Players Who Can Break Virat Kohli’s Record Of Most ODI Cricketer Of The Year Awards

Virat Kohli has been perhaps the biggest superstar when it comes to modern-day cricket, the Indian talisman has done it all, from scoring all around the globe to breaking records one after another. One of the biggest records in Virat Kohli’s cabinet will be his 3 ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year awards. Virat Kohli alongside South African legend AB De Villiers holds the record for the most ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award won by a single player, with both players standing at the top with 3 titles on their shelves.

There are very few names that can replicate the same success Virat Kohli has achieved in the 50-over format, much less winning 3 ICC ODI Player of the Year titles. However, while the record is a monumental number, records are always meant to be broken and there are some names that have what it takes to surpass Kohli when it comes to the illustrious milestones.

5 Players Who Can Surpass Virat Kohli’s Tally

Babar Azam

Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam has perhaps the most realistic chance out of every player who can surpass Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers when it comes to the record for most ICC ODI Player of the Year awards. Babar Azam has already lifted the silverware twice, with both coming consecutively in 2021 and 2022. 

As of now, Babar Azam is once again a strong contender for the award as the batter is at the top of the ICC ODI rankings with 887 points to his name and is head and shoulders above the second-placed Rassie van der Dussen who has 747 points to his name.

If Babar Azam manages to bag this third ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2023, not only will he become the first player in history to make a hattrick of the prestigious award, he will have a great chance to surpass Virat Kohli with the way he has been playing in the white-ball format.

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Shubman Gill

And now we step into the territory of unknown and predictions. Shubman Gill has been in astonishing touch with the bat for the Men in Blue scoring runs at all opportunities he has earned in his career. In just 21 games in the 50-over format, Shubman Gill has scored 1254 runs with a staggering 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries. Shubman Gill is surely a superstar in the making and it’s just a matter of time before he gets his hands on his maiden ICC ODI Player of the Year award.

With Shubman Gill being just 23 years of age, the emerging Indian superstar realistically holds a chance to break Virat Kohli’s ever-standing record. Gill is widely regarded as the successor to Virat Kohli and it would not be too surprising if he managed to break one of Virat’s most illustrious records in ODI cricket.

Janneman Malan 

The South African star is one of the most promising stars in ODI cricket that has emerged from the nation for a while now. With the country that has produced the likes of AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla, and Faf du Plessis, Janneman Malan is surely a superstar in the making. The batter has done exceptionally well in the 50-over format in the 23 games he has played for his country. 

Malan has scored 958 runs so far in his relatively short ODI career racking up 3 centuries and 4 fifties with a career-best of an unbeaten 177. While Malan has a long way to go before breaking Virat Kohli’s record, if he continues to score the way he has been in the past two years, it would not be very unrealistic to predict the player’s trajectory in the coming years.

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Shreyas Iyer

Another Indian star batter following Shubman Gill into the list is Shreyas Iyer, the batter has been a regular feature in the ODI squad for a while now despite some ups and downs in his career. Shreyas Iyer being just 26 years of age has a long way to go before he can come anywhere near Virat Kohli’s illustrious record but the Kolkata Knight Riders skipper surely has the potential to be amongst the best. 

Iyer who has represented India in 42 ODI games has managed 1631 runs with the help of 2 centuries and 14 half-centuries. If Shreyas Iyer can take the coming opportunities on his hands and run the mile with it, there is nothing wrong in predicting that the sky is the limit for the batter.

Imam-Ul-Haq

The talented Pakistan batter is the final man on this list, while it’s not like Imam does not have what it takes to reach Virat Kohli’s standing record, out of the 5 people on the list, Imam seems to have somewhat unrealistic chances. However, he has been a regular feature for Pakistan and has constantly delivered with the bat, this is one of the key reasons behind his presence on this list.

Imam has scored 2545 runs in his 56 outings for Pakistan racking up 9 centuries and 14 fifties to his name with a career-best of 151. If Imam can continue scoring at this rate, it will not be a big surprise watching him stand on the podium receiving the ICC OD Player of the Year award.

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