Virat Kohli Becomes Only Second Indian After Sachin Tendulkar to Cross 16,000 List A Runs

His return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy immediately drew significant attention to the early rounds of the tournament. File Photo.

Virat Kohli has added another remarkable milestone to his cricketing career by becoming only the second Indian batter after Sachin Tendulkar to surpass 16,000 runs in List A cricket. He achieved this milestone during his much-anticipated return to domestic one-day cricket in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi. It is his first appearance in India’s premier 50-over competition in about 15 years.

The milestone came early in the match against Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, when Kohli’s very first run in the innings took him past the 16,000-run mark. The innings came as Delhi chased a challenging total of 299, with Kohli walking in after an early dismissal.

This achievement places Kohli in elite company among Indian batters and also among the top run-scorers globally. He is only the ninth player overall in the history of List A cricket to cross the 16,000-run threshold, underlining his extraordinary consistency over a long career. His List A average north of 57 and 57 centuries highlight both longevity and dominance in the format.

Kohli’s inclusion in this rare list comes at a time when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been encouraging senior internationals to remain actively involved in domestic competitions, aiming to merge elite experience with the next generation of talent. His return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy immediately drew significant attention to the early rounds of the tournament.

With this milestone, a new all-time list of India’s leading List A run-scorers takes shape, as compiled by the Hindustan Times:

1. Sachin Tendulkar – 21,999 runs
2. Virat Kohli – 16,000+
3. Sourav Ganguly – 15,622
4. Rahul Dravid – 15,271
5. Rohit Sharma – 13,517

Kohli’s achievement reaffirms his place among India’s batting greats and underscores his enduring impact on the one-day game, domestically and internationally.

Source: Hindustan Times