India cricket team batter Virat Kohli narrowly missed out on what would have been a well deserved 54th ODI hundred in the IND vs NZ contest in Vadodara. The number three batter looked well on course to breach the triple figure mark for the third time in four innings but was dismissed for 93 runs, much to India’s dismay. Regardless of the result, Kohli’s scintillating form in the 50-over format continues and it surely does send a message to head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. The message reads – Kohli isn’t done!
Kohli’s wait for 54th hundred continues
Kohli managed to score 93 runs off 91 deliveries, striking 8 fours and one six before he was dismissed. The former Indian captain played the role of the aggressor after arriving at the crease following the dismissal of Rohit Sharma. He stitched together a 118-run partnership with Shubman Gill, followed by a 77-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer before he was sent packing.
Kohli’s knock on Sunday marked the seventh time that he was dismissed while being in the 90s. The last time he was dismissed before breaching the triple figure mark and was in 90s was against the same opposition – New Zealand in ODI World Cup in 2023.
Kohli’s nervous 90s
| Runs | SR | Opposition | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 89.21 | v Bangladesh | 7 Jan 2010 |
| 94 | 90.38 | v West Indies | 16 Jun 2011 |
| 99 | 99 | v West Indies | 24 Nov 2013 |
| 91 | 93.81 | v Australia | 12 Jan 2016 |
| 92 | 85.98 | v Australia | 21 Sep 2017 |
| 95 | 91.34 | v New Zealand | 22 Oct 2023 |
| 93 | 102.19 | v New Zealand | 11 Jan 2026 |
Kohli has taken it upon himself to prove Agarkar wrong, especially after the latter had claimed that the former was non-committal for the ODI World Cup in 2027. His red-hot form started in the series against Australia where he bounced back with a 74 run knock after registering two consecutive ducks. In the series against South Africa that followed, he registered scores of 135, 102 and 65. Virat then took part in Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT 2025/26) for a couple of games, and registered scores of 131 and 77.
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