Key points
- Virat Kohli became the leading run-scorer against New Zealand in ODI cricket during the second India-New Zealand ODI in Wellington on November 7, 2026.
- Kohli entered the match level with Ricky Ponting on 1,971 ODI runs against New Zealand after scoring 74 in the series opener.
- Kohli scored seven runs in the second ODI and moved to 1,978 runs against New Zealand, according to Moneycontrol and Outlook India.
- Ponting finished with 1,971 ODI runs against New Zealand, while Sachin Tendulkar is third on the list with 1,750.
- Kohli reached the milestone in his 38th ODI innings against New Zealand, according to Outlook India.
- India began the second ODI with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after winning the opener in Auckland.
Virat Kohli added another landmark to his extraordinary One Day International career on Saturday, November 7, by becoming the highest run-scorer against New Zealand in ODI cricket. The former India captain moved past Australia great Ricky Ponting during the second ODI at Wellington, taking sole ownership of a record that had stood at the top of the list for years.
Kohli entered the match needing just one run to go past Ponting. He had drawn level with the former Australian captain in the series opener, when his 74-run innings took him to 1,971 runs against the Black Caps. In Wellington, Kohli opened his account with a boundary and moved beyond that mark. He was later dismissed for seven.
How Kohli moved past Ponting
The record had come within reach during the first match of the five-game series. Kohli scored 74 off 51 balls in Auckland, helping India chase a revised target and take a 1-0 lead. That innings brought his aggregate against New Zealand to 1,971, matching Ponting’s career tally against the same opposition.
That left Kohli one run away from becoming the outright leader. He achieved the milestone in the second ODI in Wellington, where a boundary early in his innings took him past Ponting. Kohli’s stay at the crease was short, ending at seven, but the record had already been secured.
According to match reports from Moneycontrol and Outlook India, Kohli’s tally moved to 1,978 runs against New Zealand. Ponting remains second with 1,971, while Sachin Tendulkar occupies third place with 1,750. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya are also among the leading run-scorers against the Black Caps.
Elite company on the all-time list
The list underlines the consistency required to score heavily against one international opponent across multiple series and conditions. Ponting accumulated his 1,971 runs during his Australia career, while Kohli has continued adding to his tally across a long period as one of India’s leading ODI batters.
Tendulkar’s 1,750 runs put him third, followed by Sangakkara on 1,568 and Jayasuriya on 1,519. South Africa’s Jacques Kallis is also in the top six with 1,449 runs, according to the figures published in the match coverage.
Kohli’s latest record came in a match in which he did not make a substantial score. That contrast is part of the unusual nature of the milestone: the decisive run was achieved quickly, even though the innings itself ended at seven. The record was the continuation of the work he had done in the opening game, rather than a product of a large Wellington knock.
First ODI innings set up the milestone
Kohli’s 74 in the first ODI was central to the sequence. India had lost an early wicket, but the former captain helped stabilise the chase and kept the required rate under control. His innings also allowed him to draw level with Ponting, turning the Wellington fixture into an immediate opportunity to take the record outright.
India had entered the second match with a 1-0 advantage in the five-match series after their win in Auckland. Kohli’s personal milestone therefore arrived as the team continued its campaign in New Zealand. The second match was played at Wellington’s Hnry Stadium on November 7.
What the record means for Kohli’s ODI career
Kohli’s achievement adds another opponent-specific record to a career defined by sustained run-scoring across formats. Records against individual teams are built over repeated tours and bilateral series, and moving past a player of Ponting’s stature reflects the length and consistency of Kohli’s ODI career.
The milestone also adds context to the first two matches of the series. His 74 in Auckland brought him level with Ponting, and the boundary in Wellington took him beyond the Australian. Although he could not convert his start into a substantial score in the second game, the record had already been registered.
With the series continuing, Kohli has an opportunity to extend the new benchmark in the remaining fixtures. For now, he stands at the top of the ODI run-scoring list against New Zealand, ahead of Ponting, Tendulkar and other leading batters from the modern era.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ricky Ponting record did Virat Kohli break in Wellington?
Kohli became the highest run-scorer against New Zealand in ODI cricket, moving past Ponting’s career tally of 1,971 runs against the Black Caps. Kohli had equalled the mark with 74 in the first ODI before going ahead during the second match in Wellington.
How many runs has Virat Kohli scored against New Zealand in ODIs?
Moneycontrol and Outlook India reported that Kohli moved to 1,978 ODI runs against New Zealand after scoring seven in the second match at Wellington. He is ahead of Ricky Ponting, who finished with 1,971 runs against the Black Caps.
How many runs did Virat Kohli score in the second ODI in Wellington?
Kohli scored seven runs in the second ODI against New Zealand at Wellington. Although he did not make a big score, he reached the record by moving past Ricky Ponting’s total of 1,971 runs against the Black Caps early in his innings.
How did Virat Kohli equal Ricky Ponting’s record?
Kohli equalled Ponting’s 1,971-run record in the first ODI of the series in Auckland. He scored 74 off 51 balls, taking his aggregate against New Zealand to the same total as the former Australia captain before the teams travelled to Wellington.
Who are the top run-scorers against New Zealand in ODI cricket?
The reported leading run-scorers are Virat Kohli with 1,978, Ricky Ponting with 1,971 and Sachin Tendulkar with 1,750. Kumar Sangakkara is next on 1,568, followed by Sanath Jayasuriya on 1,519 and Jacques Kallis on 1,449, according to the figures in the match reports.
When did Virat Kohli break Ricky Ponting’s ODI record against New Zealand?
Kohli moved past Ponting during the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Wellington on November 7, 2026. He had entered the match one run short of the record after equalling Ponting’s tally in the series opener in Auckland.