Indian stalwart Virat Kohli became only the second batter in ODI cricket history to complete 15,000 runs in the format during the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday (September 27).

Kohli joined compatriot Sachin Tendulkar as the only players in history to cross 15,000 ODI runs. He reached the landmark in his 303rd innings, making him the fastest ever to the milestone (74 innings quicker than Tendulkar).

Tendulkar remains the ODI format’s leading run-scorer with 18,426 runs from 463 matches, leaving Kohli 3,426 runs behind him at the point he crossed 15,000.

Kohli had already surpassed Tendulkar’s tally of 49 ODI centuries before climbing the mountain of 15,000 runs, with 54 hundreds to his credit.

Virat Kohli smashed Caribbean pacer Alzarri Joseph for three consecutive boundaries in the 29th over of India’s chase. In the process, he breached the barrier of 15,000 ODI runs.

After notching up the landmark, Kohli raised his arms aloft and acknowledged a standing ovation from the crowd in Thiruvananthapuram

Here’s the video:

Ahead of the West Indies series, Virat Kohli officially confirmed that the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be his final global ODI tournament representing India.

"For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India. And that is my motivation. Like, you know, to leave everything out there," Kohli said while speaking on JioStar.

Since retiring from T20Is in 2024 and Test cricket in 2025, Kohli's international career is now entirely anchored around the 50-over format.

The veteran campaigner noted that an ODI World Cup demands extreme physical and mental resilience, comparing it to playing "2.5 T20 games in one day" across a stretch of 10 matches.

"The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it's about 10 games at a T20 level of intensity. But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal," Kohli said.

Having experienced the highs of winning the trophy in 2011 and the heartbreak of losing the final in 2023, Kohli stated he is ready to do "whatever it takes" and leave everything out on the field.

"Of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup. And whatever it takes, I'm absolutely ready," he remarked.