Statistical analysis of India's best batsmen in ODI run chases

#1 Virat Kohli

The numbers don’t lie. Virat Kohli is the best

Despite playing in just 101 chases, Virat Kohli has already amassed more runs while chasing than all but two Indian batsmen. There is a reason why Kohli is considered as a chase master and his numbers certainly back that claim.

4,656 runs at an average of 63.78 means that he holds the record of best average while chasing by any player. Not even the legendary Michael Bevan can come close to that overal chasing average and is only second on the all-time list of best averages (min 100 ODIs).

While Kohli has scored more than 2,000 runs while chasing both home and away from home and has eight centuries apiece in both cases, his average and strike rate are better at home. Averaging nearly 70 at a strike rate of 96.55 are simply phenomenal numbers, so are his away numbers, which read as an average of 59.90 and strike rate over 90.

When it comes to winning games while chasing, there really aren’t many better than Kohli. While Dhoni does boast of a better average in wins while chasing, Kohli has more runs and has got them at a better strike rate as well. And on Sunday, he broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most centuries in home chases and is chasing his all-time record of most centuries in chases (he is currently one behind) and most centuries in victorious chases (currently level).

And the frightening thing is that he is still only 27 and he might get even better and that is a scary prospect for any opposing team. And that is why, courtesy of a superior average and strike rate, but also the accomplishments he has to his name already despite not even playing 200 ODIs, Kohli proudly takes the title of India’s best chaser in the history of ODIs.

Statistical analysis of Virat Kohli’s ODI record while chasing

	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	100s/50s
Overall record	102	4,701	63.52	93.08	16/23
At home	41	2,065	68.83	96.36	8/10
Away from home	61	2,636	59.90	90.67	8/13
In wins	62	3,514	90.10	97.25	14/15
In defeats	34	1,166	35.33	83.76	2/8