Windies vs India: Virat Kohli on the cusp of breaking Javed Miandad’s record

Over the course of his international career, Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, has made own a number of records. The captain has been absolutely phenomenal and opponents have had nightmares against him. He is only 30 years old and is already being counted amongst the greatest cricketers to have played the game. Comparisons have also been drawn between him and Sachin Tendulkar.

Virat has 41 ODI centuries under his belt, second only to Tendulkar, who ended with 49 in the format. Last year, he became the fastest batsman to notch 10,000 ODI runs and recently, he became the fastest to 11,000 ODI runs as well. In the 2019 World Cup, Virat notched five consecutive fifty-plus scores, though he would’ve been a bit dejected to not convert any of them into a century.

Virat Kohli nearing Javed Miandad

He is now on the brink of breaking another record, this time of former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad. The retired batter is presently the highest run-scorer versus the West Indies in ODI cricket with 1,930 runs in 64 innings. Miandad played his last game in the format back in 1993 and Kohli would get a chance to topple the record in the second ODI at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

Currently, Virat has 1,912 runs versus the Caribbean team in 34 matches at a stupendous average of 70.81. The right-hander also has seven tons against the Windies, four of which came in consecutive ODIs. Kohli is only 19 runs adrift Miandad’s record and is expected to go at the helm. Virat could’ve gone past the legend at the Providence Stadium itself during the first ODI, but rain played spoilsport.

In the first game, the Windies batted only 13 overs and the rain eventually had the last laugh. Kohli also has 10 half-centuries versus the same opposition and has a couple of score in the 90s as well. He has a massive task in hand as after the ODI series, he will also lead in the two-match Test series.

His captaincy came under the scanner after India’s World Cup-exit following the semi-final. However, the management showed faith in him and gave him the mantle for the fixtures in the Caribbean Islands. Kohli also has a long home season ahead with South Africa and Bangladesh scheduled to tour India.

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