Virat Kohli needs 55 runs in 2nd Test in Pune to become 2nd Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to get THIS massive record

Virat Kohli needs to score 55 more runs to become just the 2nd Indian cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to score 16,000 international runs in Asia.

Former India captain Virat Kohli achieved a major landmark in the 1st Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru when he completed 9,000 Test runs as well as 27,000 international runs. But more records beckon the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as India get ready to face the Black Caps in the second Test at the MCA Stadium in Pune from Thursday.

Kohli needs to score 55 more runs in the 2nd Test to become just the 2nd Indian batter after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar to complete 16,000 runs in international cricket in Asia. The Indian batter currently has 15,945 runs out of his 27,000-plus runs in Asia.

Virat Kohli on his way to Pune for the 2nd Test match. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/EUERebm9NC

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 22, 2024

Tendulkar currently leads the way with 21,741 runs in Asia. Overall, Tendulkar has scored the most runs ever in international cricket with 34,283 runs with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting in distant second place with 27,483 runs.

Out of these, Tendulkar has scored 18,426 in ODI cricket – the highest-ever by any batter and 15,921 runs in Test cricket. Coming back to Asia, former Sri Lanka wicketkeeper is in 2nd place with 18,423 runs in Asia while his former captain and teammate Mahela Jayawardene has scored 17,386 runs in Asia.

Kohli comes in 4th place on this table currently but is rapidly rising in the charts. Behind Kohli, there is another former Sri Lanka captain and current head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, who clobbered 13,757 runs in Asia while former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid managed to score 13,497 international runs in Asia.

Meanwhile, former England captain Alastair Cook remains hopeful that England batter Joe Root can overtake Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of Test runs in the amount of time that has left in his career.

“I think Joe Root could set a mark, certainly on an English side, that’ll be very hard to beat. But you just never know. I hope he can get very close, if not be the first person who scores 16,000 Test runs. It’d be a great achievement,” Cook said.