Virat Kohli delivered a remarkable performance in the ODI series against South Africa, amassing 302 runs – his highest tally in any bilateral ODI series.
He smashed back-to-back centuries in the first two matches and followed it up with a composed fifty in the series decider. Virat’s consistency earned him the Player of the Series award, and with it, he set a new world record.
Virat Kohli Creates Another Historic Milestone
Former India skipper Virat Kohli has now become the cricketer with the most Player of the Series awards in men’s international cricket.
This latest honour marks the 20th time he has received the award, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 19. With this feat, he now leads a list that also features Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Australia’s David Warner among the top names.
Most Player of the Series Awards in Men’s International Cricket:
20 – Virat Kohli
19 – Sachin Tendulkar
17 – Shakib Al Hasan
14 – Jacques Kallis
13 – Sanath Jayasuriya
13 – David Warner
Virat Kohli is currently in exceptional form. Across his last four ODI innings, he has piled up 374 runs, including two centuries and two half-centuries. This is the ninth time in his career that he has scored 50 or more in four consecutive ODI innings.
He is now just 25 runs shy of the 28,000 international runs milestone. However, with India not scheduled to play any ODIs in 2025, Kohli will have to wait until next year to become only the third Indian to cross that monumental landmark.
Virat admits this is the best he has felt in years
Virat Kohli capped off the ODI series against South Africa with an unbeaten 65 off just 45 balls in the third match, guiding India to a series-clinching win.
This knock followed his two centuries earlier in the series, highlighting how playing a single format has refreshed his game. His ODI numbers for 2025 now stand at 13 matches, 651 runs at an impressive average of 65, including three hundreds and four half-centuries.
Even Kohli couldn’t hide his delight at his form, admitting this is the best he has felt in years. “Honestly, the way I’ve played in this series has been the most satisfying for me. I don’t think I’ve performed at this level for the last 2–3 years. I feel mentally free, and everything about my game is coming together really well,” he said at the post-match press conference.
