Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar believes Virat Kohli may fall short of the landmark of 100 international centuries before the end of his career, citing the limited number of matches available before the 2027
ODI World Cup.
Speaking on the possibility of Kohli achieving the historic milestone, Nayar admitted that while he would love to see the former India captain reach the 100-century mark, the available time and number of international games could make the task difficult.
“I don’t think there are enough games for him to reach that milestone. As much as I want him to, there have to be sufficient games for you to scale also. It’s possible that he may continue to play after the World Cup as well, but I am considering the period till the World Cup. After the World Cup, his motivation might not be the same either,” Nayar said.
Kohli has already established himself as one of the greatest batters in international cricket, with his remarkable consistency across formats making the 100-century milestone a major talking point among fans and experts.
India need to groom another all-rounder alongside Hardik Pandya
Nayar also highlighted India’s need to develop another seam-bowling all-rounder who can complement Hardik Pandya in the ODI format.
He suggested that having two seam-bowling all-rounders alongside two specialist fast bowlers could significantly improve India’s team balance, particularly in challenging overseas conditions such as New Zealand and South Africa.
India’s search for additional all-round options could provide greater flexibility in team selection while also strengthening the batting depth.
Cheteshwar Pujara backs Nitish Kumar Reddy as Hardik’s backup
Meanwhile, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Nitish Kumar Reddy should be groomed as a potential backup for Hardik Pandya in the 50-over format.
Pujara pointed out that India cannot depend entirely on Hardik, considering his fitness concerns and availability throughout the year.
“When Hardik is fit, obviously he will be part of the playing XI. But you can’t rely on just one player because he has some fitness concerns and isn’t fit throughout the year. So, you need a like-for-like replacement. That’s why I think the Indian team needs to groom Nitish Kumar Reddy,” Pujara said.
He added that Hardik would remain India’s first-choice all-rounder whenever available, but developing Reddy would give the team a reliable alternative for the future.
Nayar and Pujara call for more tri-series in ODI cricket
Both former cricketers also discussed the importance of introducing more multi-nation tournaments to maintain interest in ODI cricket.
Nayar believes tri-series and quadrangular tournaments can make bilateral cricket more competitive by giving teams an additional incentive to win every match.
He recalled the iconic Sharjah encounters involving Sachin Tendulkar and Australia, highlighting how such tournaments create unforgettable moments for cricket fans.
Pujara also supported the idea, explaining that playing against multiple nations would challenge teams to prepare for different players, strategies and conditions.
He believes that increased participation from different teams and exposure to more international players could help improve fan engagement and strengthen the relevance of the 50-over format.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, India’s preparations will involve not just identifying the right combination but also building a strong pool of players capable of delivering consistently across conditions.
