Virat Kohli achieved a stunning record with India's win in the first ODI against England on Thursday.
India defeated England by eight wickets in the first One-Day International (ODI) at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday. The win was Virat Kohli's 39th as captain of India's ODI team. The 29-year-old is now tied with West Indian great Clive Lloyd and Australian legend Ricky Ponting with 39 victories after their first 50 ODIs as captains.
In terms of overall win percentage for captains in ODI cricket (minimum 30 matches), Kohli is at the No.1 position as of now. His illustrious predecessors, Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, are way behind him on this list.
Here are the top five
| Captain |
Matches |
Win percentage |
| Virat Kohli |
50 |
79.59% |
| Clive Lloyd |
84 |
77.71% |
| Ricky Ponting |
230 |
76.14% |
| Hansie Cronje |
138 |
73.7% |
| Michael Clarke |
74 |
70.42% |
Kohli certainly has had a great start to his tenure as captain of India's ODI side. But for him to remain at the top of the aforementioned list, he'll need to keep winning at this rate for a long time. Ponting, of course, with 230 matches as captain under his belt, has to be considered the finest ever as of today.
On Thursday, Rohit Sharma's searing century (an unbeaten 137) helped India walk to the victory with nearly 10 overs to spare. He completed his century off just 82 balls. Skipper Kohli scored 75 runs. The Kohli-Rohit duo added 177 runs in 25.1 overs. India chased the target of 269 in only 40.1 overs. The win saw India take a 1-0 lead in a three-match series that continues at Lord's on Saturday.
Earlier, slow left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav's six for 25 helped India bowl out England for a modest 268. Asked by Kohli to bat first, England started off well with both openers Jason Roy (38) and Jonny Bairstow (38) providing England a strong start with a 73-run opening stand.
However, the match soon turned in the favour of India when Kuldeep Yadav was brought in the 11th over. He produced three wickets in successive overs, taking apart the top order. Yadav has now become the second chinaman bowler after Australia's Brad Hogg to pick five or more wickets in an ODI.
Later, wicket keeper Jos Buttler (53) and all-rounder Ben Stokes (50) were among the top scorers. Besides Kuldeep Yadav, pacer Umesh Yadav took two wickets while right arm wrist spinner Yuzverdra Chahal put a break to England skipper Eoin Morgan inning.
(Inputs frpm ANI)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Indian captain Virat Kohli celebrates his half-century during the first ODI against England on Thursday")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}