Virat Kohli's World Cup 2027 Ambition Bolstered by Recent ODI Century

Virat Kohli is firmly in the frame for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with his recent century for India reinforcing his status as an indispensable part of the team's future. The batting icon, who has retired from Test and T20I cricket, scored his 86th international hundred against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. This performance has stays as India's premier 50-over batsman, with former chief selector Chetan Sharma publicly backing his continued selection.

Former India chief selector Chetan Sharma has dismissed age as a factor for Kohli and Rohit Sharma, arguing that performance is the only metric that matters. He pointed to the centuries both veterans scored in the recent ODI series against the West Indies as definitive proof of their ongoing value. "Age is just a number. If you’re performing well, like both Virat and Rohit scored centuries. When you’re performing well, there’s nothing to overthink about it," Chetan told ANI. He advised the players to ignore external noise and focus solely on winning matches for India.

Kohli's latest ton was his 55th in ODIs, extending his own world record. Across all formats, his 86 international centuries place him second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 100. A breakdown of his record shows he has been particularly dominant against Australia and Sri Lanka. He has scored 17 centuries against Australia and 15 against Sri Lanka throughout his career. His mastery in the 50-over format remains unmatched, with over 15,000 ODI runs to his name.

Kohli's formative mentor, Rajkumar Sharma, has taken on a new role as the overall mentor for Delhi cricket for the 2026-27 season. Appointed by the DDCA, Sharma will oversee the senior Ranji Trophy team and all age-group sides, aiming to identify and nurture the next generation of talent from the capital. In an exclusive interview, Sharma expressed strong hope for a Delhi revival, noting the motivation of the current players and the benefits of the local Delhi Premier League. His return to the Delhi system keeps a key figure from Kohli's development closely involved in the game's grassroots.

With Kohli now focused exclusively on ODIs, comparisons with Pakistan's Babar Azam, who still plays all three formats, are frequent. The statistical edge lies clearly with the Indian legend in the 50-over game. Kohli has scored more than 8,000 additional ODI runs and far more centuries than Azam. The Pakistani captain, however, has surpassed Kohli's T20I run tally. The contrast highlights Kohli's evolved career stage, where he has simplified his commitments to extend his peak in his preferred format.

• KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Virat Kohli scored his 86th international century on September 27, 2026, in an ODI against the West Indies.
• Former selector Chetan Sharma insists age is irrelevant and Kohli should play the 2027 ODI World Cup if he keeps performing.
• Kohli's childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, is now the mentor for all Delhi cricket teams for the 2026-27 season.
• Kohli holds the world record for 55 ODI centuries and has over 15,000 runs in the 50-over format.