Virat Kohli's Stellar Performance Leads India to Victory Against New Zealand

Kohli's Match-Winning Knock

On Sunday, at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, India secured a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first match of a three-match series, thanks to a remarkable innings of 93 runs from star batsman Virat Kohli. Chasing a target of 301 runs, Kohli's performance included eight boundaries and a six, as he reached his score off 91 balls, giving India a 1-0 lead in the series.

Kohli's Consistent Form

Notably, this innings marked Kohli's seventh consecutive score of over 50 in One Day Internationals since the third match of the ODI series in Australia in October 2025. Among these seven scores, he has achieved three centuries, including two in ODIs and one in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His recent scores are as follows: 93, 77, 131, 65*, 102, 135, and 74*. With this innings, Kohli surpassed Kumar Sangakkara's record of 28,016 runs, becoming the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket after Sachin Tendulkar. To date, Kohli has amassed 28,068 runs at an average of 52.66 across 557 matches, including 84 centuries.

Praise from Shreyas Iyer

In a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shreyas Iyer commended Kohli's innings, highlighting his consistent performance over the years, effective strike rotation, and ability to face bowlers. Iyer stated, "No matter what we say about his innings, it will never be enough. We have been witnessing this for so many years. The way he rotates the strike and faces bowlers is truly remarkable."

Iyer's Return to the Team

Iyer also shared his thoughts on returning to the Indian team and starting the series with a win. He expressed his joy in rejoining the dressing room and described the victory as a "fantastic start" to the series.