Virat Kohli on course to break Sachin Tendulkar's ODI records

India captain fastest to 12,000 runs in 50-over cricket

India captain Virat Kohli became the fastest player to 12,000 ODI runs during the third match against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday. AP

Virat Kohli is on his way to breaking Sachin Tendulkar's ODI runs and centuries records. AP

Virat Kohli is considered by many as the greatest ODI batsman of all time. Reuters

Virat Kohli averages nearly 60 in ODIs. Getty

Virat Kohli bats during the third ODFI against Australia on Wednesday. AFP

Virat Kohli scored a fifty against Australia in the third ODI. AFP

Virat Kohli of India pulls Aussie quick Cameron Green. Getty

Virat Kohli has scored 43 ODI tons. AP

Virat Kohli with teammate Hardik Pandya in Canberra. AP

India captain Virat Kohli is considered by many as the best batsman in the history of ODI cricket.

While recency bias is always a factor when making such 'all time' statements, a look at Kohli's 50-over record adds a lot of weight to such an assessment.

On Wednesday, Kohli scored 63 runs and became the fastest player to 12,000 runs in One-Day Internationals as India defeated Australia by 13 runs in the third ODI in Canberra.

Kohli reached the milestone in his 242nd innings, 59 fewer than Tendulkar.

In fact, Kohli has been the fastest to 8,000 through to 12,000 ODI runs. And if the 32-year-old remains fit, he will easily overtake Tendulkar as the most prolific batsman in ODI cricket, not only in terms of runs scored but also centuries made.

The most incredible stat is this: Kohli has played nearly 200 innings less than Tendulkar but is just six behind the retired great's tally of 49 ODI centuries.

If Kohli plays anywhere near Tendulkar's 463 ODIs, chances are he will end up close to 80 one-day centuries, which will undoubtedly never be broken.