Kohli Makes History: 7000th Century & Breaks Tendulkar Record

Ranchi, November 30, 2025 — In a performance that will be etched in cricket folklore forever, Virat Kohli shattered two monumental records with a single century, scoring 135 runs as India defeated South Africa by 17 runs in the opening ODI at JSCA International Stadium Complex on Sunday.

The Delhi batsman’s 52nd ODI hundred not only surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s longstanding record of 51 centuries in a single format but also became the historic 7000th century in 148 years of international cricket.

The 7000th Century Milestone: Kohli Joins Cricket’s Elite

Kohli’s remarkable innings became the 7000th century in international cricket history, placing him alongside legends who scored milestone hundreds throughout cricket’s storied past.

The historic progression shows cricket’s evolution: Charles Bannerman scored the first-ever international century in 1877, Ian Chappell hit the 1000th in 1968, Dean Jones the 2000th in 1990, Steve Waugh the 3000th in 2001, Kumar Sangakkara the 4000th in 2007, Ross Taylor the 5000th in 2014, Sudesh Wickramasinghe the 6000th in 2019, and now Virat Kohli owns the 7000th in 2025.

“This is bigger than just breaking records,” said an emotional Kohli in the post-match presentation. “To be part of cricket history in this way, especially on Indian soil, means everything to me.”

Virat Kohli century celebration India blue jersey bat raised JSCA Stadium Ranchi ODI South Africa November 2025

Breaking Sachin’s Sacred Record: 52 ODI Centuries

Vegas11 News witnessed cricket’s most emotional moment when Kohli surpassed his idol Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 51 Test centuries to claim the record for most hundreds in any single international format.

With this achievement, Kohli now has 45 centuries batting at number three in ODIs, matching Tendulkar’s 45 centuries as an opener in ODIs, showcasing his consistency in the format.

The century took Kohli’s overall international tally to 83 hundreds, leaving him 17 short of Tendulkar’s all-format record of 100 centuries. However, his dominance in ODI cricket now stands unmatched in cricket history.

Ranchi Erupts as Kohli Reaches His Century

The JSCA Stadium crowd held its collective breath as Kohli spent 17 nerve-wracking deliveries in his 90s. The tension broke when he sliced the ball through backward point to reach three figures, triggering deafening roars from over 30,000 fans.

His celebration was pure emotion — repeated fist pumps, eyes closed, soaking in the magnitude of the moment. The King had reclaimed his throne in front of his home crowd.

But Kohli wasn’t finished. After completing his century, he unleashed carnage on South African bowlers, hammering spinner Prenelan Subrayen for consecutive boundaries: 4, 6, 6, 4. He then added two more boundaries off Ottneil Baartman, taking his tally to seven sixes and 11 fours in a breathtaking 120-ball knock.

Rohit Sharma’s Historic Six Makes ODI History

While Kohli grabbed headlines, opening partner Rohit Sharma quietly created his own piece of history. His third six of the innings — a trademark pull shot off Marco Jansen — took him past Shahid Afridi’s record of 351 ODI sixes.

Rohit now has 352 sixes in 269 innings, surpassing the record in 100 fewer innings than Afridi, who needed 369 innings to reach 351 maximums.

Rohit’s aggressive 57 off 51 balls featured five boundaries and three sixes. He reached his half-century in style, slog-sweeping back-to-back sixes off Subrayen as India dominated the powerplay overs.

The RoKo Partnership Continues Its Magic

The veteran duo added 136 runs for the second wicket, their chemistry on full display once again. Interestingly, roles were reversed — Kohli played the aggressor while Rohit provided stability, contrary to their usual dynamic.

“We’ve batted together 392 times for India now,” Rohit said after the match. “We don’t need words anymore. Just eye contact and we know what the other is thinking.”

Vegas11 News reports that this partnership now holds the record for most runs scored by any batting pair at home in ODI cricket, with 2667 runs together, surpassing Sri Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

South Africa’s Valiant Chase Falls Short

Chasing 350, South Africa suffered early blows when Harshit Rana’s fiery spell reduced them to 11/3, dismissing both Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock for ducks.

However, Matthew Breetzke’s aggressive 72, Marco Jansen’s powerful 70, and Corbin Bosch’s counter-attacking 67 kept the Proteas in the hunt until the final over. They needed 18 runs from six balls when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Bosch on the second delivery, ending their hopes.

Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of India’s bowlers with four wickets, while debutant Harshit Rana impressed with three scalps in his maiden ODI appearance.

Kohli’s Love Affair With Ranchi Continues

The JSCA Stadium has become Kohli’s fortress. With this century, he has now amassed 519 runs in just six innings at the venue, averaging an astonishing 173. This marks his third century at Ranchi, complemented by one fifty.

“I don’t know what it is about this ground,” Kohli smiled. “The crowd, the atmosphere, everything just clicks here. Every time I walk out to bat in Ranchi, I feel something special.”

Multiple Records Tumble in Single Innings

Kohli’s extraordinary knock broke several records simultaneously:

Most ODI centuries: 52 (surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 49)
Most centuries in single format: 52 (breaking Tendulkar’s 51 Test centuries)
7000th century in cricket history: First player to achieve this milestone
83rd international century: Second only to Tendulkar’s 100
Most ODI centuries in India: 25 (surpassing Joe Root’s 24 Test centuries in England)

KL Rahul’s Successful Captaincy Debut

Leading India in the absence of injured captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul contributed significantly with bat and leadership.

Rahul scored a composed 60 off 56 balls, providing crucial support to Kohli during their 93-run partnership. His calm presence behind the stumps and tactical decisions during South Africa’s chase earned praise from the commentary panel.

Match Statistics and Scoreboard

India’s Innings:

Total: 349/8 in 50 overs
Top Scorers: Virat Kohli 135 (120), KL Rahul 60 (56), Rohit Sharma 57 (51)
Best Bowlers (SA): Ottneil Baartman 2/60, Nandre Burger 2/65

South Africa’s Chase:

Total: 332 all out in 49.2 overs
Top Scorers: Matthew Breetzke 72, Marco Jansen 70, Corbin Bosch 67
Best Bowlers (IND): Kuldeep Yadav 4/68, Harshit Rana 3/65, Prasidh Krishna 2/67

India posted their second-highest ODI total against South Africa at home, falling short only of their 401/3 in Gwalior 2010 when Sachin Tendulkar scored a memorable double century.

What’s Next: Series Shifts to Raipur

The second ODI will be played at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on December 3, followed by the series finale in Visakhapatnam on December 6.

India leads the three-match series 1-0 and will look to seal it in Raipur. For South Africa, the loss extends their challenging tour of India, despite their dominant 2-0 Test series victory earlier this month.

The Proteas will need to regroup quickly if they hope to level the series and build momentum before the final match.

Social Media Erupts With Tributes

Cricket fans and legends took to social media to celebrate Kohli’s historic achievement. Former cricketers praised his consistency and hunger for runs even after 17 years in international cricket.

“52 ODI centuries. The 7000th ton in cricket history. At 37 years old, he’s still rewriting records,” wrote former Australian captain Ricky Ponting on social media. “Simply phenomenal.”

The hashtags #Kohli52 and #7000thCentury trended worldwide within minutes of his century, with fans sharing emotional tributes to the batting maestro.