India’s star batsman Virat Kohli has a golden opportunity to become the highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history. This ICC tournament will begin on February 19, with India starting their campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh. The Indian team will have high expectations from Kohli, who has an excellent record in ICC tournaments.
Matches to be Held in Pakistan and Dubai
This ICC tournament will be hosted in Pakistan and Dubai. Since India refused to travel to Pakistan, the ICC decided to schedule India’s matches in Dubai. India is placed in Group A, which includes defending champions Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. The Men’s Champions Trophy was held every four years from 2009 to 2017, but it was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and questions regarding its relevance. The tournament originally began in 1998 and was held every two years.
Kohli Could Break Gayle’s Record
The record for the most runs in Champions Trophy history is currently held by West Indies legend Chris Gayle. He has scored 791 runs in 17 matches at an average of 52.73 and a strike rate of 88.77, including three centuries and one half-century. Kohli has a strong chance to surpass this record. The Indian batsman has scored 529 runs in 13 matches at an average of 88.16 and a strike rate of 92.32, including five half-centuries. His highest individual score in the tournament is an unbeaten 96 against Bangladesh in 2017. He has also played crucial unbeaten knocks of 81 against Pakistan and 76 against South Africa. Kohli is just 263 runs away from surpassing Gayle to become the highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history.
Most Runs in Champions Trophy History
| Batsman | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | 791 | 17 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 742 | 22 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 701 | 10 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 683 | 22 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 665 | 13 |
| Jacques Kallis | 653 | 17 |
| Rahul Dravid | 627 | 19 |
| Ricky Ponting | 593 | 18 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 587 | 16 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 536 | 20 |
| Virat Kohli | 529 | 13 |
Kohli’s Recent Struggles with Form
Kohli has not been in great form recently. After a disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, he made a return to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years but failed to make an impact. He also missed the first ODI against England due to knee swelling and was dismissed cheaply in the second match. However, he did manage to score a half-century in the third ODI.