Cardiff: Virat Kohli added another glorious chapter to his ODI career with a record-breaking performance in the second match against the England cricket team at Sophia Gardens. The Indian batting stalwart not only anchored the innings with a fluent 65 but also surpassed multiple legends to achieve significant milestones in SENA countries.

Kohli’s knock of 65 off 66 balls marked his 30th ODI half-century in SENA nations—South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia—making him the Indian batter with the most fifties in these challenging overseas conditions. In doing so, he went past Rahul Dravid, who previously held the record with 29 fifties.

Kohli tops elite Indian list

With this milestone, Kohli now leads an illustrious list of Indian greats in terms of ODI half-centuries in SENA countries. The list includes legends such as:

  • 30 – Virat Kohli
  • 29 – Rahul Dravid
  • 25 – Sachin Tendulkar
  • 24 – MS Dhoni
  • 17 – Mohammad Azharuddin

This achievement underlines Kohli’s consistency and adaptability in some of the toughest cricketing environments in the world.

Equals Viv Richards’ England record

Kohli’s innings also helped him draw level with Viv Richards for the most 50-plus scores in ODIs against England. Both batters now have 14 such scores, placing Kohli among the all-time greats in matches involving England.

This feat further highlights his dominance against one of cricket’s strongest sides, especially in conditions that traditionally favour seam and swing bowling.

India falter despite strong start

Despite Kohli’s brilliance, India could only post 233 in 44 overs after being put in to bat. The innings saw contributions from Shreyas Iyer, who scored a composed 66, but the rest of the batting unit failed to build on the platform.

India’s top order made a cautious start on a seamer-friendly pitch. Rohit Sharma (26) and Shubman Gill (31) got starts but could not convert them into big scores. Ishan Kishan, stepping in for the unwell KL Rahul, managed just one run.

Kohli and Iyer then stitched together a crucial partnership, stabilising the innings. Kohli’s fluent strokeplay stood out, particularly his elegant drives, before he fell to Jofra Archer.

Middle-order collapse proves costly

Following Kohli’s dismissal, India suffered a dramatic collapse. Batters such as Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar failed to reach double figures, leaving Iyer to shoulder the responsibility.

Iyer’s 66 off 71 balls ensured India crossed the 200-run mark, while Jasprit Bumrah added a valuable unbeaten 20 to push the total to 233.

England’s bowling attack was disciplined throughout, with Archer (3/42) leading the charge. Gus Atkinson also picked up three wickets, while Saqib Mahmood chipped in with two.

Conclusion

Virat Kohli’s record-breaking innings was a testament to his enduring class and ability to deliver in challenging conditions. While India could not capitalise on his effort, the milestones achieved reaffirm his position among the greatest ODI batters of all time. As the series heads to a decider, Kohli’s form remains a major positive for India, even as the team looks to address its inconsistencies.