Kohli brings up 15000 ODI runs, just 2nd batter to reach feat after Tendulkar - The Indian Express

Virat Kohli reached another milestone in a career filled with them when he reached 15000 ODI runs in the 1st match vs West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Kohli, who brought up his half century in just 40 balls, became the second player after the great Sachin Tendulkar to reach 15,000 runs in the 50-over format. Tendular took 377 innings to reach the milestone while Kohli did it in 303.

With the talismanic India batter in hot form, Kohli will look to win his second ODI World Cup after clinching the trophy on home soil in 2011. He had a chance to repeat that feat on in 2023 but suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final against Australia.

The upcoming World Cup will be Kohli’s fifth ODI World Cup and he has said that it’s going to be his last one.

“For me, it’s the ‌last World Cup I’m going to play for India. That is my motivation and like, you know, to leave everything out there. And of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup and whatever it takes, I’m absolutely ready,” Kohli told broadcaster JioStar on Saturday.

“The intensity of ⁠a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it’s about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity. But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain ⁠that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal. Also now, it’s in ⁠foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of ⁠you,” he had added.

Earlier, West Indies rode on Justin Greaves’ century (101) and fifties from John Campbell and Amir Jangoo to post a competitive 295 for seven against India in the opening ODI. Greaves struck 12 fours to make 101 off 108 ball while he put on 135 runs for the opening wicket with Campbell (62 off 60 balls; 6x4s, 3x6s).

Late in the innings, Jangoo made 58 not out from 43 balls with seven four and a six, bringing up his fifty in only 38 balls. For India, Kuldeep Yadav was the pick among the bowlers returning 10-0-40-4.

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