Virat Kohli welcomed 2026 with Anushka Sharma, sharing a New Year message before returning to cricketing action
He is just 25 runs away from 28,000 international runs and could become the fastest to the milestone in the New Zealand ODI series starting January 11
Kohli is in strong form after scoring 131 and 77 for Delhi and is expected to join India’s ODI camp in Vadodara early
The New Year has arrived with fresh promise, and Virat Kohli has stepped into 2026 with both calm moments and historic milestones lining up ahead. As celebrations unfolded across the globe, Kohli chose a quiet start to the year, welcoming it alongside wife Anushka Sharma.
He shared the moment on Instagram with a simple caption, 'Stepping into 2026 with the light of my life @anushkasharma.' The post struck a chord instantly, drawing close to four million likes within an hour.
For now, Kohli is making the most of some rare family time. The break, though, is brief. Competitive cricket is calling again, with the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the India vs New Zealand ODI series right around the corner.
And when he returns, history will be well within reach.
Kohli is just 25 runs away from becoming only the third batter in international cricket to complete 28,000 runs. The milestone has previously been achieved only by Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. Tendulkar reached it in 644 innings, Sangakkara in 666.
Kohli, meanwhile, has already piled up 27,975 runs in just 623 innings, putting him on course to become the fastest ever to the landmark. With the ODI series against New Zealand beginning on January 11, the stage is set for the record to fall soon.
His recent form suggests it won’t take long. Turning out for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kohli was in commanding touch, hammering 131 in one game and following it up with a fluent 77 in the next.
Those innings also brought another milestone. Kohli became the fastest batter to 16,000 List A runs, reaching the mark in just 330 innings and eclipsing Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 391 innings.
Preparation for the New Zealand series is already underway. The Indian ODI squad is scheduled to assemble in Vadodara by January 8, and a BCCI source indicated that Kohli could arrive a day earlier to get additional training done.
The three-match ODI series against the Black Caps will begin in Vadodara on January 11. A new year has begun, but the storyline feels familiar, Virat Kohli, once again, on the brink of rewriting cricket history.
