New Delhi: When Sachin Tendulkar retired after setting a record of 100 international centuries, not many would have betted for anyone to get close to him. Virat Kohli would have thought otherwise as with 80 international tons, he is the closest to Tendulkar in cricket history.
Kohli also holds the record of most hundreds in ODIs, going past Tendulkar’s mark of 49 in the 2023 ODI World Cup with his 50th ton. The 35-year-old remains the first and only batter to complete 50 hundreds in the 50-over format.
It cemented his place among the all-time greats, having already established himself as one of the top batters of the current generation.
The former India captain has been a prolific run-getter across formats and though he is in the midst of a slump in recent times, his record remains enviable.
Ahead of his 36th birthday on November 5, let’s break down of Kohli’s hundreds in international cricket.
An all-format star
Of the 80 international centuries, Kohli has struck 29 in Tests, 50 in ODIs and one in T20Is, which proves he is at ease in all formats.
Having made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies, Kohli struck his first ton in the five-day format in the following year against Australia in Adelaide.
His ODI debut happened in 2008 vs Sri Lanka against whom he scored his maiden 50-over ton in 2009. Kohli’s only T20I hundred was in the 2022 T20 World Cup against Afghanistan.
The right hand batter’s latest ODI hundred was against New Zealand in November 2023 while his most recent three-figure score in red-ball cricket was against the West Indies in July 2023.
Kohli’s list of tons
| Format | Centuries |
| Tests | 29 |
| ODIs | 50 |
| T20Is | 1 |
Kohli’s tons by oppositions
Kohli has a particular liking for Australia, hitting the most number of centuries against them (16). Sri Lanka (15) have suffered the second worst fate across all formats.
In the traditional Test format, the former India skipper has struck eight hundreds against Australia.
Kohli is yet to feature in a Test match against arch-rivals Pakistan as no bilateral series has been played between the two nations since 2007-08.
Kohli’s tons opponents wise:
| Opponent | Centuries |
| Australia | 16 |
| Sri Lanka | 15 |
| West Indies | 12 |
| New Zealand | 9 |
| England | 8 |
| South Africa | 8 |
| Bangladesh | 7 |
| Pakistan | 3 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 |
| Afghanistan | 1 |
Virat Kohli’s journey to becoming one of the most prolific scorers in cricket is ongoing, and as he moves forward, fans and analysts alike are eager to see if he will eventually surpass Tendulkar’s unmatched century tally. For now, Kohli remains one of the greatest batsmen of his generation, with a legacy defined by records, skill, and an unyielding passion for the game.
