Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes that the elusive ‘100 international centuries’ tag will be on Virat Kohli’s mind after he moved one step closer with his 86th international ton. The veteran batter scored an unbeaten 139 off 88 deliveries in the first ODI against West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, September 27.
With four hundreds in his last 10 ODI innings, the ace batter has been climbing the leaderboard. While Kohli holds the record for the most ODI hundreds ever, he is still short of hundreds across all formats in international cricket. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar was the first and only player to score 100 international centuries, and Kohli still finds himself 14 short and is in a race against time.
Although India plays a plethora of ODIs over the next 12 months, including the World Cup 2027, Virat Kohli will have to record tons at an absurd rate to match or surpass the iconic tally.
Ajinkya Rahane noted that it is not necessarily a bad thing if Virat Kohli wants to chase after the record, as his best often comes when he puts himself under pressure.
“I think when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he is at his best. In every innings, he has done that. He has those expectations of himself. That is why he has been able to do it consistently for so many years. Knowing Virat, if he thinks about 100 centuries, there is nothing wrong with it, because his role model has been Sachin Tendulkar. So, I am sure he must be thinking about it. If he thinks about it, only Virat Kohli can achieve that,” Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz.
“Many times we think that if a player is thinking about milestones, that means he is selfish. But when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he does well. So, I am sure he will have a number on his mind, but at the same time, he will also have the thought that he has to enjoy the game as long as he is playing,” he added.
Virat Kohli has scored two hundreds this year, but missed out on one when he was dismissed for 93 in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara in January.
“My focus has never really been on these milestones” – Virat Kohli’s huge statement after IND vs WI 2026 1st ODI
The series opener against the West Indies also saw Virat Kohli become just the second batter in history to reach the 15,000-run milestone in ODI cricket. However, he reiterated that milestones are not his focus.
“My focus has never really been on these milestones, so to say. It’s just understanding the situation along the course of just doing the job for the team, whatever. Achievements come along. Obviously, I feel very grateful and very blessed to be in this position, having played for so long,” Virat Kohli said during the post-match presentation.
India claimed a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after an all-round display in Thiruvananthapuram. The second ODI is scheduled to be held at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, September 30.
Edited by Gokul Nair
