Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 139 off 88 balls against West Indies at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. The innings featured 10 fours and nine sixes as India chased down 296 in just 41.4 overs. Kohli’s 55th ODI century came off just 74 balls, marking the third-fastest hundred of his career in the format.
Former India off-spinner R Ashwin reacted with admiration to Kohli’s aggressive display and remarkable batting performance. Ashwin expressed his astonishment at the quality and flow of Kohli’s innings, noting the difficulty of maintaining such a high level of execution.
“I don’t know if he is playing for England in England! To bat with so much flow is not an easy thing, and the way he is batting is just remarkable, just amazing,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin highlighted that Kohli’s conscious decision to increase tempo and continue improving himself remained evident in his recent performances. The former India cricketer explained that maintaining elite fitness and batting form at the highest level requires substantial effort and dedication behind the scenes. Kohli’s century also took him past 15,000 runs in ODI cricket, adding another milestone to his record-breaking career in the format.
“You know, maintaining that fitness level at an elite level and keeping batting form at an elite level takes a lot of effort. And I am sure behind closed doors—what we don’t get to see—he is doing a lot of work. So to continue and keep it up for years together, maybe he doesn’t want to do it. But looking at it, after 2027, if he wants to play ODI cricket too, it doesn’t make any practical sense. He doesn’t play Test cricket or T20 cricket either; he’s retired,” Ashwin said.
The aggressive approach displayed in Thiruvananthapuram reflected Kohli’s commitment to maintaining peak performance during his remaining international commitments. His third-fastest ODI century underscored his ability to combine aggressive intent with technical execution at the highest level of the game.
India have taken an important 1-0 lead in the three-match series against Shai Hope’s men. The second ODI is set to be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, September 30.
