The achievement was confirmed in style as Kohli dispatched a short delivery from Alzarri Joseph through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. The capacity crowd responded with a standing ovation, acknowledging the magnitude of the feat as the batter raised his arms to salute the supporters.
Joining the ODI Elite
With this latest accomplishment, Kohli joins the legendary
Kohli reached the 15,002-run mark in just 303 innings across 315 matches. His statistical profile in the format is formidable, boasting an average of 58.83 and a strike rate exceeding 94. Throughout his career, he has registered 54 centuries and 80 fifties, with a career-best score of 183.
Historical Context and Career Comparison
The milestone further separates Kohli from the rest of the all-time list. He had previously moved into second place in October 2025, surpassing former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, who finished his career with 14,243 runs. Rounding out the top five are former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who amassed 13,704 runs in 375 matches, and Sanath Jayasuriya, who scored 13,430 runs in 448 ODIs.
A comparison between the two members of the 15,000-run club highlights the efficiency of Kohli’s scoring. While Tendulkar reached the milestone in 377 innings, Kohli achieved it in 303. Furthermore, Kohli reached the mark in 15,950 balls compared to Tendulkar’s 17,528. In terms of age, Kohli reached the landmark at 34 years and 66 days, whereas Tendulkar was 37 years and 326 days old when he achieved the same feat. The time taken from their respective debuts also differs, with Kohli reaching the milestone 6,614 days after his debut, compared to 6,402 days for Tendulkar.
