Virat Kohli fell agonizingly short of a century, dismissed for 93 in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on January 11, 2026, triggering widespread
disappointment among fans and analysts. Despite anchoring India's chase of 301 to a tense four-wicket victory, the 'King' missed his glory moment in front of a full house at the Kotambi Stadium.
Kohli perished to Kyle Jamieson, handing New Zealand a lifeline as Ravindra Jadeja (4) and Shreyas Iyer (49) followed quickly, slumping India to 242/5.
Fans in the raucous Vadodara crowd watched stunned as their hero departed in the 90s for the first time since the 2023 World Cup against the same opposition. Social media erupted with heartbreak, calling it a "criminal waste" of a masterful innings that left Kohli seven runs shy of his 85th international ton.
The dismissal amplified frustration over Kohli's history of nineties, now echoing past near-misses, and fueled debates on his anchoring role at 37. Supporters lamented the twist of fate, with one viral post noting, "Kohli was devouring the chase, but perished just when he could've sealed it flawlessly".
The India star looked destined for a century, but was dismissed just 7 runs short of it. Although Kohli is known for no nervousness in the nineties, he got dismissed only for the 9th time in the 90s.
Virat Kohli's Dismissal in 90s (all Intl. formats)
Virat Kohli got dismissed in the 90s for the first time in 2010, when he was dismissed for 91 against Bangladesh in an ODI match. In the Test format, he has only been dismissed twice in the nineties, once in 2013 against South Africa and then in 2018 against England. The only time Kohli was dismissed for 99 was agianst West Indies in an ODI match in Vizag in 2013.
| Runs | Opponent | Format | Venue | Year |
| 91 | Bangladesh | ODI | Mirpur | 2010 |
| 94 | West Indies | ODI | Kingston | 2011 |
| 99 | West Indies | ODI | Vizag | 2013 |
| 96 | South Africa | Test | Johannesburg | 2013 |
| 91 | Australia | ODI | Perth | 2016 |
| 92 | Australia | ODI | Kolkata | 2017 |
| 97 | England | Test | Nottingham | 2018 |
| 95 | New Zealand | ODI | Dharamshala | 2023 |
| 93 | New Zealand | ODI | Vadodara | 2023 |
