Virat Kohli T20I Runs by Batting Position

In 2022, Virat Kohli became the first batter to score 4000 runs in T20I cricket. And 75 per cent of those runs came while batting at No. 3 – Kohli’s preferred batting slot.

The right-hand batter was an invincible force at No. 3 for India. If an early wicket fell, he would anchor and then shift his gears to propel India to a good score. 

When it came to chasing, there was no one better than Kohli. His calm, composed approach saw India home many times, as he found runs with ease.

After the 2024 T20 World Cup win, Kohli bowed out as one of India’s highest run-getters in T20I cricket.

On that note, let’s look at Virat Kohli’s T20I stats by batting position.

Virat Kohli T20I Batting Stats by Position

Key Insights on Virat Kohli’s T20I Runs by Batting Position

All-Time Batting Records and Milestones at No. 3

Virat Kohli has scored the most runs at No. 3 in T20Is, with 3076 runs to his name. He is, in fact, the only batter to score 3000-plus runs at No. 3. 

Kohli has also faced the most balls at the No. 3 position, having played 2274 deliveries.

The right-hand batter is the only one to remain not out in more than 20 innings while batting at No. 3.

Kohli’s impressive average of 53.96 at No. 3 is the highest by a batter who has faced at least 500 balls in that position.

His strike rate of 135.26 is the third highest among No. 3 Indian batters in the shortest format (minimum 500 balls faced).

Kohli wasn’t a big six-hitter. But his 79 maximums at No. 3 are the most by an Indian batter in that slot in T20Is.

His 276 fours, however, are the most among all No. 3 batters in the shortest format.

Kohli is the only batter to have brought up two scores of 90s – 90* vs Australia and 94* vs West Indies – at No. 3 in T20Is.

Chasing Benchmarks and Match-Winning Performance Records

1735 of 3076 runs came while chasing targets, with 1502 coming in successful run chases, the most by any batter at No. 3 in T20Is.

The other 1351 runs at No. 3 came in the first innings, the most by a batter in that position in T20Is.

Kohli’s 32 fifties are also the most at the No. 3 slot. 24 of them came in winning causes along with 2269 runs, with 16 fifties coming in successful chases, again the most in that position.

Opening Slot and Middle Order Batting Statistics

Kohli scored his only T20I century while batting as an opener, a position in which he batted only 17 times. He smashed his career-high score of an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Kohli’s unbeaten 122 is the joint-highest individual score by a batter in the T20 Asia Cup.

His average of 36.73 while scoring 551 runs in the opening slot is the second-highest among Indian openers in T20Is (minimum 100 balls faced).

At No. 4, Kohli has the third-highest batting average of 42.41 and the fourth-highest strike rate of 141.38 among Indian batters.

Global Tournament Records and T20 World Cup Dominance

Kohli has also amassed the most runs at No. 3 in T20 World Cup history. He scored 1132 runs in 24 innings, and he is the only one to surpass the 1000 mark. 

His 14 fifty-plus scores are also the most in the tournament, with no other No. 3 batter even scoring five.

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