Who Will Reach 10,000 ODI Runs First: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, or MS Dhoni?

Introduction

The journey to 10,000 One Day International (ODI) runs is a tremendous feat in cricket. As of my last update in August 2023, Virat Kohli was the quickest to achieve this milestone, having done so in 205 innings. AB de Villiers needed 217 innings, while MS Dhoni required 318 innings to reach 10,000 runs. This article will delve into the current standings and the future potential of each player in pursuit of this record.

Current Standings

By July 2023, AB de Villiers had been retired for 5 years, and MS Dhoni had been retired for 4 years. Virat Kohli stands just 102 runs away from 13,000 ODI runs. Interestingly, Kohli holds the record for being the fastest to reach 10,000 ODI runs, followed by Sachin Tendulkar and others. Dhoni, despite his retirement, currently sits in 6th place, having required only 1 more inning than Jaques Kallis to reach 10,000 runs.

Potential for Future Milestones

The question remains, who will be the next to reach 10,000 ODI runs? It seems highly likely that MS Dhoni (MSD) is going to achieve this milestone first, needing only 33 more runs to complete the feat. Similarly, Virat Kohli is projected to follow suit and may touch the mark within the next 10 ODIs, potentially even faster than Sachin Tendulkar, who took 259 innings to achieve the same goal.

Performance Breakdown

As of now, the current ODI run tallies for each player stand as follows:

MS Dhoni - 9,967 runs Virat Kohli - 9,588 runs AB de Villiers - 9,577 runs

From these figures, it's clear that MS Dhoni is in a slight lead with a very small margin required to secure his place in the 10,000 ODI run club.

South Africa Tour Highlights

From the data from the current South Africa tour:

Before the tour, Virat Kohli had 9,030 ODI runs, and after the tour, he had 9,588 runs, indicating a significant improvement in form. MS Dhoni, with 9,898 runs before the tour, had the chance to increase his tally to 9,967 runs after the South Africa tour.

Virat Kohli scored 558 runs in the current ODI series, compared to Dhoni's 69 runs. This shows that Kohli is in a consistent form and is likely to continue his streak, potentially reaching the 10,000 ODI run milestone sooner than those above.

Respect and Leadership

Both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have displayed incredible respect and selflessness in their roles. When Kohli was not seen as having the necessary talent, Dhoni backed him as captain. In return, Kohli has often demonstrated his skills and consistency, scoring big runs even when batting at lower positions.

For Dhoni, despite not having reached 10,000 ODI runs, his legacy as a selfless cricketer is unmatched. His willingness to sacrifice personal milestones for the greater team good is a trait that resonates with many. Whether or not Dhoni reaches 10,000 ODI runs, his legacy as a leader and a team player will endure.

Conclusion

While the race to 10,000 ODI runs is still in progress for both Kohli and Dhoni, the likelihood of MS Dhoni achieving this milestone first is high. However, the importance of personal milestones such as this should not overshadow the broader impact and respect these players have earned in the cricketing world.