After enduring two consecutive ducks, Virat Kohli silenced doubts in style during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney, reminding fans why he remains one of the finest in modern cricket. The former India captain, under visible pressure, took little time to find his rhythm and brought up a gritty half-century in his 305th ODI appearance, a knock marked by determination and composure.

Kohli’s first run itself was symbolic — he celebrated it with a fist pump, a gesture that spoke volumes about his hunger to bounce back. Once settled, the right-hander played with characteristic precision, steering India’s innings with smart shot selection and strike rotation.

In doing so, Kohli broke Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing world record for the most 50+ scores in ODI chases, registering his 70th such score. The achievement underscored his dominance in run chases — an area where he has often been compared to the legendary Tendulkar.

Adding another milestone to his glittering career, Kohli also surpassed Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history, trailing only Tendulkar himself.

Most Runs in One-Day Internationals

• 18,426 — Sachin Tendulkar (452 innings)

• 14,235 — Virat Kohli (293 innings)

• 14,234 — Kumar Sangakkara (380 innings)

• 13,704 — Ricky Ponting (365 innings)

• 13,430 — Sanath Jayasuriya (433 innings)

Kohli’s return to form is a huge boost for Team India ahead of upcoming assignments. His innings reflected patience, controlled aggression, and smart rotation of strike — aspects former teammate Irfan Pathan had recently highlighted as key to Kohli’s success.

Speaking on JioStar before the Sydney match, Pathan had said:

“Virat’s form is vital for India. He just needs to rotate the strike and keep the runs ticking. Once he gets going, it’s nearly impossible for bowlers to stop him. I’m confident that once he starts finding gaps again, there’ll be no looking back.”

For Kohli, the innings wasn’t just about numbers — it was a statement of resilience. After back-to-back failures, the Sydney knock reasserted his class and set the tone for what could be another vintage run of form.