Virat Kohli added yet another jewel to his crown on Friday as he struck a fluent 77 for Delhi against Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy clash in Bengaluru. While the innings itself was impressive, it was the record that followed which truly underlined Kohli’s enduring greatness in the 50-over format.
With that knock at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Kohli surpassed Australian great Michael Bevan to become the highest-averaging batter in the history of List A cricket (minimum 5,000 runs). His career average climbed to 57.87, edging past Bevan’s long-standing mark of 57.86, a record that had stood untouched for decades.
Virat Kohli breaks Bevan’s iconic List A record
Long compared to Sachin Tendulkar for his appetite for centuries, Kohli’s latest milestone highlights something even rarer — unmatched consistency and efficiency. His 77 off 61 balls against Gujarat featured 13 boundaries and a six, once again showcasing his ability to dominate attacks while anchoring an innings.
The record places Kohli at the top of an elite list of modern greats, further cementing his status as one of the finest one-day batters the game has ever seen.
Batters with the highest average in List A cricket:
Virat Kohli (India) – 57.87
Michael Bevan (Australia) – 57.86
Sam Hain (England) – 57.76
Cheteshwar Pujara (India) – 57.01
Ruturaj Gaikwad (India) – 56.68
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 53.82
AB de Villiers (South Africa) – 53.46
Questions have been raised in recent times about Kohli’s long-term future in the one-day format, but his recent run of form has answered them emphatically. Over his last six List A innings, Kohli has amassed 584 runs at a staggering average of 146, prompting fans to dub this phase of his career as “God Mode.”
That remarkable stretch includes commanding performances against top opposition, highlighted by scores of 131 against Andhra, back-to-back centuries against South Africa, and another strong showing against Australia. During this run, Kohli has looked virtually unremovable, combining classical control with modern-day acceleration.
Even more striking is Kohli’s evolution in 2025. Contrary to expectations of decline, the veteran has elevated his game, maintaining a List A strike rate comfortably above 110 this year. Across all List A appearances in 2025, his average remains in the high 80s, numbers that have helped him not only eclipse Bevan’s record but also become the fastest player in history to reach 16,000 List A runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s mark by a remarkable 61 innings.
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