Virat Kohli goes past MS Dhoni to become India's second-most-capped player
Senior batter Virat Kohli has overtaken former captain MS Dhoni to become India’s second-most-capped international cricketer across all formats. Kohli marked his 536th international appearance during the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2019, played 535 matches for India between 2004 and 2019.
Kohli, who made his international debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2008, has had a remarkable career so far, featuring in 116 Tests, 295 ODIs, and 125 T20Is, amassing a staggering total of 27,041 international runs. In addition to his batting exploits, he has also captained India in 213 matches-comprising 68 Tests, 95 ODIs, and 50 T20Is. With this milestone, Kohli now trails only the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for the most international appearances by an Indian cricketer, with 664 caps from 1989 to 2013. Among active players, Kohli is followed by current India captain Rohit Sharma (486 caps) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (346 caps).
In terms of Test cricket, Kohli is tied for eighth place with 116 caps and has accumulated 8,947 runs in the longest format. He is just 53 runs shy of becoming the fourth Indian to reach 9,000 Test runs, joining the elite company of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. Notably, Kohli recently became the fastest player to reach 27,000 international runs, achieving this remarkable feat in just 594 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s previous record of 623 innings.
While Kohli celebrated his personal milestone, the Indian team faced a tumultuous Day 2 against New Zealand. They suffered a disastrous batting collapse, bowled out for a mere 46 runs-their third-lowest total in Test history and the lowest at home. New Zealand’s pace attack, spearheaded by William O’Rourke and Matt Henry, dismantled the Indian batting lineup, with Tim Southee striking early by dismissing captain Rohit Sharma. The decision to bat first in overcast conditions and on a pitch that had been under cover due to rain proved detrimental, resulting in five ducks, including Kohli himself, along with Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and R Ashwin.
