The next T20I series of India, which is against New Zealand, will start on January 24. It will be their first-ever five-match series in the format. This series will help India play in overseas conditions ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup which will be played in Australia later this year.
As a captain among Virat Kohli’s other responsibilities will be special emphasis on his batting records in New Zealand where he has to yet play a T20I.
To date, he has scored 2,689 runs with an average of 52.72, including 24 half-centuries, in T20Is.
Records which Virat Kohli can break in New Zealand T20Is
1. Most T20I runs as captain
In the 78 T20Is, he is an average of 46.90. Kohli has scored 1,032 runs with a strike rate of 143.73. As a T20I captain, Kohli is the fourth-highest run-scorer until now.
Currently, Faf du Plessis holds the record as T20I captain with the most number of runs. In 40 T20Is, he has scored 1,273 runs as the Proteas captain.
Kohli needs only 52 runs to beat the record of Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, who has scored 1,032. Kohli also has to score only 81 runs to beat the record of former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has scored 1,112 runs to date.
Within this five-match T20I series, Kohli is expected to cross both these batsmen. He also needs to score 242 runs to become the highest run-scorer as a captain of the T20I team.
2. Most T20I runs in SENA countries
The number of T20Is Virat Kohli has played in countries like England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa (SENA) is 17. In these countries, he has scored 552 runs with an average of 50.18 and a strike rate of 139.04 which includes five half-centuries.
As far as the runs he has to score in the SENA countries, Kohli stands at No. 25 currently, so he has a lot of catching up to do to reach the top five in the world rankings.
Whether Kohli will overtake his deputy Rohit Sharma or not has to be seen.
3. Most T20I runs at venues away from home
While batting at venues away from home is concerned, Kohli is at No. 2 with 954 runs with an average of 50.21 in 29 T20Is. They include nine half-centuries.
Only a couple of runs are needed for Kohli to overtake Mohammed Hafeez, the veteran all-rounder of Pakistan, who has scored 955 runs away from home in 35 T20Is.
4. Most T20I runs against New Zealand
Kohli has played only five T20Is against New Zealand, scoring 197 with a strike rate of 155.11. Currently standing at No. 21, Kohli only needs two runs to surpass 198 runs scored by Rohit Sharma in nine T20Is versus New Zealand.
To overtake Eoin Morgan, the captain of England, the captain of India requires to cross the 228 run-mark.
5. Most runs by an Indian batsman in New Zealand
Since it is Kohli’s first T20I series in New Zealand, he has to score 91 to overtake Dhoni who score 91 runs in this country. In the bargain, he will face a major challenge from Rohit Sharma.
