India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I: Virat Kohli is 25 runs away from surpassing MS Dhoni
Virat Kohli is as many as 25 runs away from surpassing MS Dhoni in the elite list of highest run-getters as captain in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Kohli is currently in fourth place behind Dhoni (1,112 runs), New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson (1,148 runs), and South Africa captain Faf du Plessis (1,273 runs).
Kohli will aim to clinch the record during India's third T20I against the BlackCaps that is scheduled to be played on Wednesday in Hamilton.
The current Indian captain is also a fifty-plus score away from becoming the skipper with most fifty-plus scores in T20Is as he is currently tied with du Plessis and Williamson with eight such knocks.
The list of likely records for Kohli also includes as he can also become the only second-ever captain to hit 50 sixes as skipper in T20Is - a feat accomplished by English captain Eoin Morgan. Kohli needs seven more sixes to join Morgan's lone club.
After wins in the first two T20Is, India lead 2-0 in the ongoing five-match series against the hosts, who will aim to triumph in the third match to stay alive in the series.
The opening two T20Is were played at Auckland's Eden Park – the stadium known for its short boundaries. In the first match, more than 400 runs were scored. However, at the same venue in the second game, New Zealand struggled with the bat as they ended up putting only 132 runs on the board.
India's KL Rahul has been in a terrific form, having scored 113 runs in two innings. He has received excellent support from young talent Shreyas Iyer, who is second on the list of most runs so far this series with 102 runs in two matches.
"Another good performance today, especially with the ball. Bowling first was India's strength. We demanded the bowlers stood up and took control of what we wanted to do out there, and our line and lengths... was a very good feature," Kohli said after India's seven-wicket win in the second T20I.