Kohli's Record-Breaking Century and Gill's Ton Lead India to Dominant Win Over West Indies

Thiruvananthapuram, September 27, 2026 – A spectacular display of batting prowess from Virat Kohli and captain Shubman Gill powered India to a commanding eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first One Day International at the Greenfield International Stadium.

Chasing a challenging target of 296, India comfortably reached 300 for 2 with 50 balls to spare, taking a crucial 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Kohli shattered multiple records en route to an unbeaten 139, while Gill registered his tenth ODI century, solidifying India's dominance.

Kohli's Milestone Masterclass

Virat Kohli was the architect of India's chase, crafting a magnificent unbeaten 139 runs off just 88 deliveries, studded with 10 fours and 9 sixes. This innings marked his 55th ODI century and an astounding 86th international century across all formats.

More significantly, Kohli became the fastest batsman in history to reach 15,000 One Day International runs, achieving the feat in only 303 innings. He surpassed legendary Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record, who took 377 innings to reach the milestone back in 2007. Kohli also equaled Tendulkar's record of 60 List A centuries, doing so in a remarkable 338 innings compared to Tendulkar's 538.

Gill's Classy Century and Stellar Partnership

Providing exceptional support, captain Shubman Gill registered his tenth ODI century, scoring a fluent 110 runs off 108 balls, including 13 boundaries and one six. Together, Kohli and Gill forged a match-winning 150-run partnership for the second wicket, dismantling the West Indies bowling attack.

Earlier, opener Rohit Sharma contributed 32 runs off 35 balls before falling to Alzarri Joseph. Ruturaj Gaikwad (12 not out) joined Kohli to finish the chase emphatically with consecutive sixes from Kohli.

West Indies' Competitive Total

Earlier in the day, after losing the toss and being sent in to bat, West Indies posted a respectable total of 295 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs. Opener Justin Greaves was the standout performer for the visitors, scoring his maiden ODI century with a well-compiled 101 runs from 108 balls, featuring 12 fours.

Towards the end of the innings, Aamir Jangu provided a crucial late flourish, hitting an unbeaten 58 runs off just 43 balls to push West Indies towards a competitive score. However, their efforts ultimately proved insufficient against India's batting might.

Kuldeep Yadav's Decisive Spell

India's spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental in stemming the flow of runs and picking up crucial wickets in the middle overs. He finished with an impressive haul of 4 wickets, earning him the Player of the Match award.

Kuldeep's double strike in the 36th over, dismissing the centurion Justin Greaves (LBW) and then Jewel Andrew (caught at first slip by Rohit Sharma) in consecutive deliveries, was a pivotal moment that slowed West Indies' momentum after their strong start.

A Day of Batting Records

The match was part of an extraordinary day for ODI cricket globally, witnessing six individual centuries scored across three different One Day International matches. Alongside Kohli and Gill, Temba Bavuma and David Miller for South Africa, and Tom Banton for England also reached triple figures, marking a rare statistical first in the sport.

Post-match, Virat Kohli emphasized that his focus remains on team objectives rather than individual records. "My focus has never been on records or milestones, but on doing my job for the team according to the match situation," Kohli stated. "Our goal is to win the World Cup, and we are working on different aspects of our game for that." He also praised his partnership with Shubman Gill, highlighting the seamless understanding between them.

Series Context and Team News

India's victory extends their remarkable streak against West Indies in bilateral ODI series, having not lost to them since 2006. India leads the head-to-head record with 72 wins out of 142 ODIs played, compared to West Indies' 64 victories.

For India, batting all-rounder Naman Dhir made his ODI debut. The team opted to bowl first after captain Shubman Gill won the toss, anticipating better batting conditions under lights. The pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium has historically offered assistance to seam bowlers, but proved conducive for stroke-play as the match progressed.

Playing XIs:

• India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna.
• West Indies: John Campbell, Justin Greaves, KC Carty, Shai Hope (c & wk), Aamir Jangu, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales.