India will face the West Indies in a three-match ODI series beginning September 27, 2026, with the first game scheduled in Thiruvananthapuram. Shubman
Gill will lead the Indian side in the series.
Virat Kohli is among the senior players returning to the ODI setup after a long break. He has retired from Test and T20I cricket but continues to play the 50-over format internationally. His most recent ODI appearance came on July 19, 2026, against England at Lord's, where he scored 65 and 74 in the last two matches of a series that India lost 2-1.
Here are the top 3 reasons Virat Kohli can succeed in ODIs vs WI:
3. Exceptional record against West Indies in ODIs
Kohli has played 43 ODIs against West Indies, scoring 2,261 runs at an average of 66.50. He leads all Indian batters in runs against the Men in Maroon, ahead of Rohit Sharma, who has scored 1,613 runs against the same opposition. His strike rate against them stands at 96.95, with 9 centuries and 11 half-centuries to his name.
His highest score against West Indies is 157*, which came in the second ODI of a five-match series in Visakhapatnam, during which India posted 371/7. That knock was his second of three centuries in that same series. In the first match of that series, Kohli scored 140 off 107 balls, helping India chase 326 while sharing a 246-run stand with Rohit Sharma, who made 152*.
2. Exemplary record in ODIs in India
Virat Kohlihas enjoyed an exceptional record in ODIs on home soil, consistently delivering match-winning performances across different phases of his career. In 130 matches in India, Kohli has amassed 6,867 runs at an average of 62.42, including 27 centuries and 36 fifties. His highest score in India is an unbeaten 166, while his strike rate of 97.66 highlights his ability to combine consistency with an aggressive approach.
With more than 6,800 runs and 63 scores of fifty or more in the one-day format at home, Kohli has been one of the most prolific batters in ODIs played in India, which certainly makes him the one to watch out for on Sunday for the series opener in Trivandrum.
1. Impressive ODI form in 2026
Virat Kohli has continued to produce consistently in ODIs in 2026, scoring 384 runs in six matches at an average of 64.00. He has registered one century and three fifties during the year, with a highest score of 124. His strike rate of 106.66 further highlights his aggressive approach, underlining his strong form heading into the West Indies series.
