Top 5 Records Virat Kohli Could Achieve in 2026

Virat Kohli, India's cricket superstar, had a defining year in 2025, which involved parting emotional ways, glory with silverware, and continued domination across formats. The current batting legend announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025 bringing the curtains down on a glorious career in red-ball cricket as India's fourth-highest run-scorer in the longest format.

He hardly seemed to retire-even from Tests-when he carried on in One Day Internationals, battering his way to two centuries and a half-century in a three-match ODI series against South Africa. His phenomenal form led the selectors to award him the Player of the Series award, underscoring his importance to India's white-ball plans going forward.

The year marked the end of another personal dream on long hold. Finally, in IPL 2025, Kohli lifted his first IPL trophy when Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings in the final. An event which connected well with the fans, who had endured years of near misses.

Not even domestic cricket could escape Kohli's applause. He brought Delhi a century and a half-century in his first two matches of playing at the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy to highlight continuing his hunger for runs at every level.

Kohli strode into 2026 completely motivated for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup on the horizon in 2027. The next year could indeed see him add to many storied milestones, enhancing his legacy as one of the greatest cricketers ever.

Below are five iconic milestones Virat Kohli could achieve in 2026.

Top 5 Records Virat Kohli Could Achieve in 2026

Becoming Only the Second Batter to Score 15,000 ODI Runs

Virat Kohli is on the verge of joining elite company in ODIs. With 14,557 runs from 308 matches, he is already India's second-highest run-scorer in ODIs, with only Sachin Tendulkar above him.

In fact, Kohli needs just 443 more runs to become a member of the exclusive 15,000-run club in ODIs. If he gets there, he will be just the second player in history to do so, joined by Tendulkar (18,426 runs).

India's full itinerary of ODIs in 2026 is designed in preparation for the World Cup, which is most likely to amount to high opportunities for Kohli. Given his consistency in the format, this milestone appears more a matter of when than if.

150 Half-Centuries in International

Kohli's stronghold has always been consistency. He has amassed 145 international fifties so far across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is (excluding the hundreds).

He requires just another five fifties to complete what would be a very impressive milestone of 150 half-centuries in international cricket.

Two batters have crossed this milestone in history:

• Sachin Tendulkar - 164
• Kumar Sangakkara - 153

Thus, 150 would place Kohli amongst the most reliable run-machines to have ever graced the game.

The Second-Highest Run-Scorer in International Cricket

Virat Kohli is now ranked third in the international scoring ranks, with 27,975 runs, 556 matches played across formats. 42 more runs will put him ahead of Kumar Sangakkara (28,016 runs) and will place him in second position for all time.

This milestone becomes more special because it is quite near. Kohli can achieve this perhaps during the ODI series against New Zealand in January, which shows how overwhelmingly superb his numbers are through his career.

Only Sachin Tendulkar would remain ahead of him once this record is achieved.

The First Batter to Reach 9,000 IPL Runs

Already, Kohli holds the record for the highest run-scorer in IPL history, as he has accumulated 8,661 runs from 267 matches. No other batter has matched his longevity and consistency in the league. Just 339 more runs before that illustrious milestone, Kohli will reach 9,000 IPL runs in IPL 2026.

Last season, he smashed 657 runs in 15 matches, indicating that age has not been a barrier for him. If Kohli really replicates even a modicum of that form, he will become the first-ever batsman to touch 9,000 runs in IPL history.

Such a milestone would further enhance his status as the greatest batter in history of the league.

Joining the Elite Club of 300 IPL Sixes

Another explosive milestone awaits Kohli in the IPL. He has smashed 291 sixes, and just nine more stand to reach the magical mark of 300 IPL sixes.

Thus only two players have ever achieved such feat:

• Chris Gayle - 357 sixes
• Rohit Sharma - 302 sixes

Kohli becoming the third batter to reach this mark will testify to how his game transformed over the years, from a classical stroke-maker to a complete modern-day T20 batter.