Insane stat! Virat Kohli’s singles in ODI cricket would make him England’s third highest run scorer

Virat Kohli could easily become England's third-highest ODI run-getter with the sheer number of singles he has taken in the 50-over format.

Insane stat! Virat Kohli’s singles in ODI cricket would make him England’s third highest run scorer

Indian cricket team star Virat Kohli has taken an astonishing number of singles throughout his career. (via Outlook)

On a run-scoring and record-breaking run at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, Indian cricket star Virat Kohli boasts another impressive stat, following the team’s semifinal win over Australia. Kohli scored a superb 84 off 98 deliveries to guide the Blues to the final.

Virat Kohli was named the Man of the Match against Australia as he guided India to a four-wicket victory. Batting first, Australia put up a competitive total of 264 runs against India, with Steve Smith and Alex Carey playing crucial knocks. However, Kohli’s partnership with Shreyas Iyer and late heroics from Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul guided India to its second straight Champions Trophy final.

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The 36-year-old veteran batter’s innings comprised only five boundaries and an astonishing 56 singles, as he played a rather calm and composed innings. Interestingly, Kohli has now taken the most singles by any batter in the 50-over format since 2000. He tops the list with 5,868 singles, way ahead of Kumar Sangakkara (5,688), Mahela Jayawardene (5,046), and MS Dhoni (4,474).

Moreover, Kohli’s singles record is so huge that it is enough to make him England’s third-highest ODI run-scorer of all time. He would easily overtake Ian Bell‘s 5416 runs and would remain only behind Eoin Morgan and Joe Root. Additionally, the 36-year-old also broke the record for the most runs by an Indian player in Champions Trophy history.

Nonetheless, Kohli will be hoping to continue with his great form when India takes on New Zealand in the final clash of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Should he score a century in the final, he would become the second highest run-getter in ODIs.

Virat Kohli, Steve Smith share emotional moment, as the Australian great retires from ODIs

Virat Kohli and Australian great Steve Smith shared an emotional moment on the pitch following the latter’s decision to retire from ODI cricket. The Aussie skipper announced his decision after the team’s defeat to India in the Champions Trophy semi-final.

Virat Kohli hugs Steve Smith
Virat Kohli embraced Steve Smith following the Australian great’s decision to retire. (via India Today)

Smith ended his 15-year-long ODI career, leaving behind a legacy of having scored 5,800 runs in 170 matches for the Australian side. He was also a part of two ICC World Cup-winning squads, in 2015 and 2023. While he informed the world about his decision to retire, he was embraced on the pitch by Virat Kohli. The two players shook hands and hugged after a brief conversation.

Smith will continue to play Tests and T20 Internationals for the Australian national team. Moreover, he follows Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to become the second biggest name to retire from ODIs this year.