Online Sports Desk
Playing his first international match in over a month, Kohli scored a fluent 74 off 51 balls in Auckland, navigating spongy bounce and short-pitched deliveries that troubled other batters.
His 113-run stand with Shubman Gill stabilised India’s chase after Rohit Sharma’s early exit, securing a five-wicket win under the DLS method. The innings also marked his 50th fifty-plus score in away ODIs, surpassing Kumar Sangakkara’s previous record of 45.
Kohli’s 74 matched Ricky Ponting’s 94 fifty-plus scores in successful ODI chases, highlighting his dominance in pressure situations.
With 86 international hundreds, Kohli’s Auckland innings adds momentum to his pursuit of Sachin Tendulkar’s 100-century record.
Since retiring from Tests and T20Is, Kohli’s sole focus on ODIs has fuelled a late-career surge ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
A 70 in conditions like these is worth a hundred. He never got ahead of himself throughout the innings. And when he stays in fourth gear like this, then God help you. When the youngsters in the dressing room watch him and how he still gets angry at getting out at 38, they’ll understand they have work to do.
This feat underscores his reputation as the ‘Chase Master’ and his unmatched consistency in pressure situations. It also came on the eve of his 38th birthday, adding symbolic weight to the achievement.
India’s fixture list before and during the 2027 ODI World Cup includes four matches against New Zealand, three each against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, up to seven in the Asia Cup, six in South Africa, and potentially 11 in the World Cup itself. If India progress deep into the tournament, Kohli could feature in 30–35 ODIs over this period. With 14 centuries needed to reach 100, he would require roughly one century every 2.5 matches, a demanding target that aligns with his current ODI form.
