Delhi: The first match of the three-match ODI series between India and New Zealand is being played at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. This match is the first international match of Team India in the year 2026, but once again the center of discussion is the great batsman Virat Kohli, on whom the special eyes of the fans are fixed.

In this match, Kohli is very close to achieving another big milestone in the history of Indian cricket. The right-handed batsman has reached fifth place in the list of players who have played most matches in ODI cricket for India and has left behind former captain Sourav Ganguly.

Kohli broke Ganguly’s great record

Virat Kohli has played 309 ODI matches for Team India so far, while Sourav Ganguly played 308 ODI matches in his career. In such a situation, this match against New Zealand has become historic for Kohli.

Players who have played most ODI matches for India:

463 – Sachin Tendulkar
347 – MS Dhoni
340 – Rahul Dravid
334 – Mohammad Azharuddin
309 – Virat Kohli*
308 – Sourav Ganguly

match status

Talking about the match, after winning the toss, Indian captain Shubman Gill decided to bowl first. Team India would like to start the new year with a win, while Kohli has made another great record in his name. Now it will be interesting to see whether Virat can make this special occasion even more special with his memorable innings.