Virat Kohli became the first batter to score 13,000 One-Day International (ODI) runs at number three during India's first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park.

Kohli began the match on 12,988 runs at the position and needed 12 to reach the milestone. He got there off the 13th delivery of his innings, tucking a good-length ball from Kyle Jamieson outside off stump towards deep backward square leg for a single.

He had walked in early after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck, leaving India on 1-1 after the first over of a 186-run chase.

India's bowlers were led by Arshdeep Singh, who took four wickets but conceded 70 runs. Anshul Kamboj was more economical, taking two for 22 in his 10 overs.
Kohli reached 13,000 in his 251st innings at number three, averaging 61.61 with 48 hundreds and 69 half-centuries.

Australia's Ricky Ponting is next on the list with 12,662 runs in 330 innings, averaging 42.48 with 29 hundreds and 74 half-centuries. Kohli passed him during the third ODI against New Zealand at Indore in January. He has played 79 fewer innings than Ponting and scored more than 300 more runs.

Kohli and Ponting are the only batters to have scored 10,000 ODI runs at number three. Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara is third with 9,747 runs in 238 innings. Kohli has played 13 more innings than Sangakkara and scored more than 3,200 more runs.

Across all batting positions, only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more ODI runs at a single position, with 15,310 as an opener. Kohli is second on that list, having overtaken Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, who scored 12,740 as an opener.

Before the match, Kohli had 55 ODI hundreds, 48 of them at number three, or about 87 per cent. He completed 15,000 ODI runs against the West Indies in September. (Hindustan Times)