SportsPosted at: Sep 27 2026 9:47PM


Kohli's unbeaten 139, Gill's ton flatten West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram

By BD Narayankar
Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 27 (UNI) Virat Kohli gave the Greenfield International Stadium a batting lesson on Sunday, and West Indies were the unfortunate students, as the former India captain struck a majestic unbeaten 139 off 88 balls to power India to an eight-wicket victory with 50 balls to spare in the opening ODI.
Chasing 296, India reached 300 for two in 41.4 overs, with Kohli producing an innings that combined the classical with the brutal. There were 10 fours and nine sixes, the latter his highest tally in an ODI, as the chase that initially promised some competition ended with India strolling home.
Kohli also completed his 55th ODI hundred and became only the second batter to cross 15,000 runs in the format. It was the sort of innings in which every milestone seemed to arrive almost as a by-product of the scoring.
Shubman Gill, meanwhile, continued his excellent day by scoring 110 off 108 balls, with 13 fours and a six. The Indian captain shared 151 runs with Kohli, effectively removing whatever hope West Indies had of defending their total.
Gill's innings could easily have been much shorter. In the fifth over, Keemo Paul dropped a sitter at cover-point after Gill sliced a wide delivery from Jayden Seales straight towards him. Paul was caught between the reverse cup and the conventional catch and ended up doing neither.
It was a costly error.
Rohit Sharma also received a life of sorts. In the sixth over, he heaved Matthew Forde towards deep square leg and it appeared destined for the boundary. Alzarri Joseph leapt high, caught it with one hand and threw the ball back into play, perhaps fearing he would touch the rope. Whether he could have completed the catch after regaining his balance will remain a matter for West Indies to ponder.
Rohit eventually made 32 off 35 balls before Alzarri Joseph dismissed him, giving the fast bowler his fourth ODI dismissal of the Indian opener.
Kohli then walked in and went about his business in the manner that has become familiar to cricket followers — no great fuss, just an accumulation of runs until the opposition suddenly realised the game was slipping away.
He reached his fifty from 40 balls, using his feet beautifully against Alzarri Joseph and clearing the ropes. Gill reached his own half-century soon after, and the pair steadily dismantled the target.
Gill brought up his century in the 31st over, but fell for 110 at 225 when he attempted a slog-sweep against Roston Chase and found Jewel Andrew at deep midwicket.
That merely removed the supporting cast.
Kohli took charge.
He brought up 15,000 ODI runs with a four off Alzarri Joseph, joining an exclusive club. Then came his 55th ODI century, completed with a six off Gudakesh Motie.
The shot was vintage Kohli. He came down the track, got to the pitch of the flighted delivery and lofted it over long-on. Helmet off, bat raised, the applause was long and loud.
But the hundred did not signal the end of the entertainment. It was almost an invitation to continue.
Kohli found boundaries almost at will. He drove, pulled, lofted and swept with equal authority. At one stage, he even received another life when Keemo Paul dropped him at deep midwicket off Alzarri Joseph.
Paul, who had earlier dropped Gill, again looked uncomfortable underneath the ball.
Kohli's response was appropriately unforgiving.
He struck two successive sixes off Keacy Carty in the final over, the second disappearing over fine leg to complete the victory. The 41.4-over finish meant India had 50 deliveries unused.
Earlier, Greaves' maiden ODI hundred and Amir Jangoo's late fireworks lifted West Indies to a challenging 295 for seven, after Kuldeep Yadav's four-wicket burst threatened to derail the visitors.
Asked to bat first, West Indies raced to 85 in the opening 10 overs, with Greaves and John Campbell adding 135 for the first wicket. Campbell smashed 62 off 60 balls with six fours and three sixes, while Greaves anchored the assault before reaching his maiden ODI hundred from 108 balls with 12 fours. But his celebration was short-lived as Kuldeep trapped him lbw with a wrong'un, with India successfully reviewing the original not-out decision. The wrist-spinner then struck again two balls later, dismissing Jewel Andrew for a duck.
West Indies slipped from 176 for two to 198 for five as Kuldeep tightened India's grip, while Prasidh Krishna removed Keacy Carty for 13 and later Roston Chase for 24. Jangoo, however, launched a timely counterattack, bringing up his second ODI fifty in just 38 balls and taking the attack to India's pacers. His unbeaten 58 off 43 balls, containing seven fours and a six, ensured the visitors recovered strongly.
Jangoo's assault helped West Indies collect 45 runs in the last five overs and reach 295 for seven. Kuldeep finished with four for 40 from 10 overs, while Prasidh took two for 60 and Nitish Kumar Reddy one for 45. India now need 296 for victory, with West Indies having left themselves a total that gives their bowlers something substantial to defend.
But on a day when West Indies had their moments, including several dropped chances, India had the batsman who made sure those moments mattered very little.
Kohli finished unbeaten on 139.
For a man who has spent much of his career making difficult chases look ordinary, this was another reminder that the numbers may change, but the appetite for runs has not.
UNI BDN
Tags: #Kohli's unbeaten 139# Gill's ton flatten West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram
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