The knock also marked Kohli’s 85th international century across all formats and his tenth against New Zealand, surpassing legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, and England’s Joe Root.
Kohli overtakes Tendulkar and Root for record centuries vs New Zealand
On Sunday, January 18, Kohli reached his 100 from just 91 balls in the 41st over, following a counterattacking 50-run partnership with hard-hitting Harshit Rana for the seventh wicket. With three Test hundreds and seven ODI centuries against New Zealand, Kohli now holds the record for the most international hundreds against the Black Caps. Across all formats, he boasts a staggering batting average of 47.66 against New Zealand, with an ODI average of 58.65 from 36 innings.
Here’s a look at the top five players with the most international centuries against New Zealand:
- Virat Kohli – 10 in 73 innings
- Joe Root – 9 in 71 innings
- Jacques Kallis – 9 in 76 innings
- Sachin Tendulkar – 9 in 80 innings
- Rahul Dravid – 8 in 59 innings
Kohli continues his golden run
Kohli’s latest century is part of an extraordinary run of form. Just a week earlier, he scored 93 off 91 balls to help India chase 301 in the first ODI against New Zealand. In December, he amassed 302 runs in a three-match ODI series against South Africa, including back-to-back hundreds in Ranchi and Raipur, and a decisive 65* in Vizag to seal a 2-1 series win.
After a challenging stretch in October last year, which included consecutive ducks in Perth and Adelaide, Kohli has bounced back in style. His unbeaten 74 in the third ODI against Australia helped India avoid an away whitewash, and his latest innings against New Zealand marks his sixth 50-plus score in his last seven ODI innings.
Virat Kohli’s dominance against New Zealand cements his status as one of cricket’s greatest run-makers, continuing to rewrite records and lead India with unmatched consistency.
