Virat Kohli becomes fastest batsman to score 9000 ODI runs

KANPUR: Virat Kohli became the sixth Indian to complete 9000 ODI runs during the series-deciding third game against New Zealand on Sunday.

Kohli got to the landmark in the 37th over when he guided one off Grandhomme towards the third man for a four. He went on to score his 32nd ODI century off 96 balls and eventually got out on 113. His 106-ball knock was studded with nine fours and a six.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni had reached the milestone last year while other Indians who have done so are Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin.

Overall, Kohli, who played his 202nd match and 194th innings on Sunday, has become the 19th batsman to breach the 9000-run mark, making him the fastest to get there.

Earlier in the series, the Indian captain had surpassed Australian great Ricky Ponting in the list of most ODI hundreds with his 31st ton.Tendulkar tops the list with 49 hundreds and he is also the leading run-getter in the format.

Kohli had a quiet series against the Australians by his standards but he is back to his best against the Black Caps.