Virat Kohli put on a masterclass in chasing at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, smashing a breathtaking 139 not out off just 88 deliveries against the West Indies in the first ODI of the three match series on Sunday.
Chasing a competitive 296, India cruised to an 8-wicket victory with 50 balls to spare, powered by twin centuries from Kohli and captain Shubman Gill (110). Kohli reached his hundred in just 74 balls- the third-fastest ODI century of his career – finishing the chase in style with consecutive sixes. During his historic knock, Virat, the modern batting icon, rewrote several chapters in the record books: 1. Fastest Batter To Reach 15,000 ODI Runs Needing 59 runs at the start of the match to reach the monumental milestone, Kohli became only the second batter in men’s ODI history – after Sachin Tendulkar – to cross 15,000 ODI runs.
Joint-Most International Centuries at Home The hundred marked Kohli’s 42nd international century in India, equaling Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most centuries scored on home soil across all formats. Kohli: 303 innings Tendulkar: 377 innings Difference: Kohli shattered the record by reaching the milestone in 74 fewer innings. 2. Most ODI Runs in Home Conditions During the later phase of his knock, Kohli surpassed Tendulkar’s long-standing tally of 6,976 runs on home soil to become the leading run-scorer in home ODIs in cricket history. 3. Record-Extending 55th ODI Century (86th International Ton) Kohli extended his world record for the most centuries in ODI cricket, taking his tally to 55 hundreds – now six clear of Tendulkar’s 49. Across all formats, this marked his 86th international century, inching closer to the elusive mark of 100. 4. Joint-Most List-A Centuries In Cricket History With his 55th ODI century, Kohli took his overall List-A hundred count to 60, drawing level with Sachin Tendulkar for the joint-most List-A centuries in cricket history. 5. 6. Most Centuries Against A Single Opponent (Tied at 10) This innings marked Kohli’s 10th ODI century against the West Indies. He joins his own record of 10 ODI centuries against Sri Lanka, making him the only batter in ODI history to hit double-digit hundreds against two separate nations.
- India’s Most-Capped Player vs West Indies in ODIs Merely by taking the field in Thiruvananthapuram, Kohli made his 44th ODI appearance against the West Indies, eclipsing Mohammad Azharuddin’s 28-year-old Indian record of 43 matches. For a 37-year-old still adding to an already unprecedented ODI record book, the evening in Thiruvananthapuram was another reminder that the chase remains Kohli’s natural habitat.
