The focus will be on Virat Kohli as the former Indian captain returns to the ODI setup after two months when the Men in Blue host West Indies in the three-match series, starting on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram. Having retired from Tests and T20Is already, Kohli only plays in the 50-over format, eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is going to be his last.
West Indies have been favourite opposition in the past 17 years, accumulating 2261 runs in 43 matches at an average of 66.50, with nine centuries and 11 half-centuries. In fact, completed his 10,000th ODI run against West Indies in 2018, during his knock of 157 not out in Visakhapatnam, his 37th ODI hundred.
Eight years later, will be eyeing a flurry of records against the same opposition at the Greenfield International Stadium. The right-hander is the second-highest run-getter in ODIs – 14,941 runs in 314 matches at an average of 58.59, with 54 centuries and 79 fifties, with a best score of 183. Legendary tops the list with 18,426 runs.
The 37-year-old is just 59 runs away from becoming the second batter in the world to cross 15000 runs.
The only team Kohli has scored 10 ODI hundreds against is Sri Lanka. If the the former skipper manages one more against West Indies in the three-match series, he will become the first batter in the world to score 10 ODI centuries against two different oppositions. already has nine against the Caribbean side in the 50-over format.
He also needs two more centuries to break Tendulkar’s all-time record of 60 List-A tons, currently sitting at 59 centuries in the format. Currently sitting at 41 international centuries at home, Kohli is two more tons away from breaking Tendulkar’s all-time record of 42 centuries at home.
Kohli is also just 110 runs away from smashing another Tendulkar record, of most ODI runs in home conditions (6,976 in 164 matches by Tendulkar). Currently, Kohli sits at 6,867 runs in 130 matches and 127 innings at an average of 62.42, with 27 centuries and 36 fifties.
Kohli has played only two ODIs in Thiruvananthapuram. In his two ODIs at this venue, the right hander has amassed 199 runs without being dismissed. His first match at this venue came against West Indies in 2018, scoring 33 not out in a winning cause. Five years later, he returned with a bang, this time with an entertaining knock of 166 not out in 110 balls, studded with 13 fours and eight sixes) against Sri Lanka.
In six innings this year, Virat has scored 384 runs at an average of 64.00 and a strike rate of over 106, with a century and three fifties.
