Virat Kohli reached another remarkable milestone in his international career as India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Kohli became only the second batter in men’s ODI history, after Sachin Tendulkar, to cross the 15,000-run mark. He reached the landmark during a spectacular unbeaten innings and went on to finish with 139 not out from 88 balls.
The former India captain also struck his 55th ODI century, extending his record as the leading century-maker in the format. Kohli reached the 15,000-run milestone with a boundary off Alzarri Joseph and brought up his century in emphatic fashion with a six.
Kohli’s innings came during India’s successful chase of 296. After Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 32, Kohli joined Shubman Gill and the pair took control of the run chase. They added 151 runs for the second wicket from 132 balls, effectively taking the game away from the West Indies.
Gill also produced a century, scoring 110 from 108 deliveries to register his 10th ODI hundred. His partnership with Kohli provided the foundation for India’s comfortable victory. Ruturaj Gaikwad then joined Kohli at the crease and helped finish the chase, with Kohli sealing the win with successive boundaries.
Earlier, the West Indies made a strong start after being asked to bat first. Justin Greaves and John Campbell put together 135 runs for the opening wicket. Campbell scored 62, while Greaves went on to register his maiden ODI century, finishing with 101.
India fought back through spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who claimed four wickets for 40 runs on his return to ODI cricket. His spell helped India restrict the West Indies after the visitors had built a strong platform. Amir Jangoo’s unbeaten 58 helped the West Indies recover and post 295 for seven from their 50 overs.
India eventually reached 296 in just 41.4 overs, winning with 50 balls to spare. The victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Kohli’s latest achievement also puts him alongside Tendulkar in the exclusive 15,000-run club. He reached the landmark in his 303rd ODI innings, significantly faster than Tendulkar, who took 377 innings to reach 15,000 runs. Tendulkar remains the leading ODI run-scorer with 18,426 runs.
The result also provided India with a strong start to their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli has said that the 2027 tournament will be his final World Cup appearance, making his continued performances in the format a major focus as India builds towards the competition.
The second ODI between India and the West Indies will be played in Guwahati on September 30, with India looking to extend their series advantage.