Virat Kohli is close to a huge record in Champions Trophy. Photo: AP
Virat Kohli will be one of India’s biggest players at the 2025 Champions Trophy and the team’s success will rely on him. Virat showed his batting class at the 2023 ODI World Cup and topped the run-scoring charts with 765 runs in 11 matches. His tally included 3 centuries and six half-centuries. Virat is now aiming for a huge record and he is just 172 runs away from it.
With 529 runs from 13 matches, Virat is presently India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in the Champions Trophy. Shikhar Dhawan tops the elite list with 701 runs. Shikhar, who was the highest run-scorer in the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy, scored 701 runs in only 10 matches. His tally included 3 centuries.
He is followed by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, respectively. Ganguly scored 665 runs while Dravid put on 627 runs in 15 innings. Virat has scored 529 runs in 12 innings.
He has scored consistently for India in ICC events and can climb to the top spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy. India are scheduled to kick off their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. They will face Pakistan and New Zealand on February 23 and March 2, respectively.
Chris Gayle tops the overall list of batsmen with the most runs in the Champions Trophy. The former West Indies opener scored 791 runs in 17 matches. With 742 runs, Mahela Jayawardene sits at the second spot. Virat will need to score 263 runs to pip Gayle and become the highest run-scorer in the history of the ICC event.
India to play at a neutral venue
The Men in Blue will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and they will play their matches at a neutral venue. Should India qualify for the second round, their semi-final and final will also be played outside of Pakistan. India won the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s leadership.