Virat Kohli will return to ODI cricket when India face West Indies in the first match of their three-game series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, September 27.
The former India captain has a strong record at the venue and will have several milestones within reach during the series. With India’s ODI series against West Indies beginning on Sunday, Virat Kohli will look to extend that record while also closing in on some major ODI landmarks.
Virat Kohli’s Thiruvananthapuram ODI record ahead of West Indies ODI
Kohli has played two ODIs at the Greenfield International Stadium and has yet to be dismissed at the venue. His first appearance came against West Indies in November 2018, when he finished unbeaten on 33 from 29 balls as India chased down 105 in just 14.5 overs. Kohli struck six boundaries during the short innings, while India won the match by nine wickets.
Five years later, Kohli produced one of his most memorable ODI innings at the same ground. He smashed an unbeaten 166 off 110 balls against Sri Lanka in January 2023, helping India post 390/5 before bowling the visitors out for 73. His innings included 13 fours and eight sixes, while India completed a 317-run victory.
That leaves Virat Kohli with 199 runs in two innings at Thiruvananthapuram, at an average that remains unbeaten. His two scores at the venue are 33* and 166*, giving him a perfect opportunity to continue that remarkable record when India return to the ground against West Indies.
Virat Kohli’s performance against West Indies in ODIs over the years
Kohli has enjoyed considerable success against West Indies in ODI cricket, although his returns have varied across different series. His biggest series came in 2018, when he scored 453 runs in five innings at an extraordinary average of 151.00. That series included three centuries, with Kohli scoring 140 in Guwahati, 157 in Visakhapatnam and 107 in Pune.
His other major returns against West Indies have also come in several series. Kohli scored 244 runs at 81.33 in 2017 and 234 runs at an average of 234.00 in the first of his two ODI series against the Caribbean side in 2019. He also accumulated 243 runs at 60.75 in the 2011 series and 204 runs at 68.00 in 2013.
However, his recent numbers against West Indies have been less productive. He managed only 89 runs at 29.66 in the 2019 series and followed it with 26 runs at 8.66 across three innings in the 2022 series. His last two ODI series against West Indies are therefore his lowest-scoring series against the team.
Virat Kohli eyes major ODI records as India face West Indies
Kohli enters the series with 14,941 ODI runs from 314 matches and 302 innings, averaging 58.59. He has scored 54 centuries and 79 fifties in the format. He needs only 59 more runs to become the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach 15,000 ODI runs.
The milestone could also see Virat Kohli move to the top of the list for the fastest 15,000 ODI runs. Tendulkar reached the landmark in 377 innings, while Kohli currently has 302 innings. Even if Kohli needs all three matches of the series to collect the required runs, he would still reach 15,000 in significantly fewer innings than Tendulkar.
Another record in sight is for the most international centuries on home soil. Kohli currently has 41 international hundreds in India, including 14 in Tests and 27 in ODIs. Tendulkar holds the record with 42 international centuries at home. One hundred would take Kohli level with Tendulkar, while two would move him into sole possession of the record.
Kohli can also overtake Tendulkar as the highest run-scorer in ODIs in India. Tendulkar accumulated 6,976 runs in 164 home ODIs, while Kohli has 6,867 runs from 130 matches at an average of 62.42. He therefore needs 110 runs in the series to move past Tendulkar’s tally.
Also Read: India vs West Indies: 3 major controversies, ft. Ravindra Jadeja-Suresh Raina fight
