Virat Kohli's final ODI push for Sachin Tendulkar's

Virat Kohli's singular focus is now clear: to chase down Sachin Tendulkar's monumental record of 100 international centuries in the limited time he has left in ODI cricket. With his Test and T20I careers over, the 37-year-old icon has 86 international centuries, needing 15 more to surpass his idol. His recent 139 not out against West Indies showed he's still in prime form, but the clock is ticking with just 11 confirmed bilateral ODIs scheduled before the 2027 World Cup.

Kohli's path to the record is a straight but narrow one. Since retiring from Test cricket in May 2025, ODIs are his only route to Tendulkar's benchmark. India's schedule before the 2027 World Cup offers a finite number of chances. Beyond the 11 confirmed matches against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, a potential pre-World Cup series in South Africa and the 2027 Asia Cup could add more games. Every innings now carries the weight of this historic chase, making his consistency more vital than ever.

Kapil Dev questions Kohli's early Test retirement

Legendary captain Kapil Dev has voiced his lingering disappointment over Kohli's decision to leave Test cricket. Speaking recently, Kapil said he believes Kohli "will realise in a few years why he didn’t play Test cricket longer." He stopped short of asking for a return but made his feelings clear, suggesting the batter could have extended his career beyond 123 Tests. This reflection adds a layer of 'what if' to Kohli's current single-format focus.

Mohammad Kaif hails Kohli's new aggressive avatar

Former teammate Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on Kohli's enduring class and evolving game. He pointed to Kohli's match-winning 139 off 88 balls against West Indies, which featured a career-best nine sixes, as proof of a "new avatar." Kaif noted that since being written off after consecutive ducks in Australia, Kohli has answered with over 900 runs and four centuries in 11 ODI innings. "Youth can learn from his fitness, hunger, dedication and consistency," Kaif said, lauding a professionalism that has taken Kohli past 15,000 ODI runs.

Spiritual visits spark ₹5 crore controversy

Kohli's well-documented spiritual journeys to Vrindavan have unexpectedly landed in controversy. Dinesh Falhari, president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, has alleged that a property syndicate spent ₹5 crore to facilitate Kohli's meetings with a local saint, rumoured to be Premanand Maharaj. Falhari claims this is part of a larger effort to influence the region's spiritual landscape. Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma have visited Vrindavan multiple times since 2023, most recently in 2026, seeking guidance.

A teammate picks AB de Villiers as his favourite

In a lighter note, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Ramandeep Singh recently chose South African great AB de Villiers as his favourite cricketer over Kohli. Ramandeep, a finisher himself, admired De Villiers' unmatched intent and game-changing ability. He explained he has modelled his batting mindset on the Proteas legend since the start of his career, a choice that shows the different inspirations players draw from modern icons.

• KEY TAKEAWAYS: Kohli needs 15 centuries to pass Tendulkar's record of 100. India have 11 confirmed ODIs before the 2027 World Cup. His recent 139 not out included a personal-best nine sixes. A controversy alleges ₹5 crore was spent to arrange his Vrindavan visit.