Virat Kohli once again underlined his place among the greatest batters in ODI cricket by scoring a spectacular unbeaten 139 against the West Indies in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. His match-winning knock helped India secure an eight-wicket victory and gave the former India captain another landmark to celebrate. Kohli reached his 55th ODI century in just 74 balls, extending his record for the most centuries in the format.
During the innings, he also crossed the 15,000-run mark in ODI cricket, becoming only the second batter after legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar to achieve the milestone. The 303 innings Kohli needed to reach 15,000 ODI runs was 74 fewer than Tendulkar’s 377 innings. His latest achievement also saw him surpass Tendulkar’s tally of ODI runs scored in home conditions. In addition, Kohli equalled Tendulkar’s record of 42 international centuries on home soil.
However, despite adding another major record to his name, Kohli insisted that comparisons with Tendulkar have never been central to the way he approaches his career. “For me, Sachin paaji is always going to be Sachin paaji. MS Dhoni is always going to be MS Dhoni in terms of being my first captain. These things cannot change inside me.”
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Kohli explained that he has never viewed himself as someone who has reached a point where there is nothing more to accomplish. Instead, his focus has remained on preparing properly, understanding the match situation and doing what the team needs. “I have never looked at myself as a guy who has established and achieved. You never really get to a position where you say that’s it. I’ve done it,” Kohli said to Star Sports.
The 37-year-old also made it clear that personal records do not dictate his approach to batting. According to Kohli, becoming overly focused on milestones can take attention away from the team’s immediate requirements.
“Records were not driving my approach to the game,” Kohli explained. “My attention remained on understanding the situation and contributing to team requirements rather than chasing individual landmarks.” Kohli’s career has been repeatedly compared with Tendulkar’s, particularly as he continues to break or match several of the batting legend’s records. Yet, the former India captain remains clear about the respect he has for Tendulkar and the influence he had on Indian cricket.
“You can be content, but if you put your head down and you are humble enough to perform and prepare and just do the right things in sport, from an ego perspective, you can never get to a position saying ‘I’m better than everyone else’. Because that’s the end.”
Kohli believes Tendulkar’s legacy cannot simply be measured through statistics. For him, the impact Tendulkar had on generations of cricket fans is far more significant than any comparison based on numbers. “He revolutionised the game in his time. And that for me is way beyond numbers and comparisons. The impact he left on people will never be forgotten,” Virat Kohli added.
The star batter also spoke about the difference between how the public views him and how he sees himself. While fans primarily know him through his performances and achievements for India, Kohli said his own identity is shaped by his journey and the person he has remained throughout his career.
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“It’s very similar to when someone who really loves the game admires me and what I’ve done playing for the country. When they come in, they meet me in a certain way. I’m not able to understand their perspective.” Kohli added that public perception is naturally built from a distance, while he sees himself through his own experiences and values.
“For me, I am not the person that they have made me to be, because they know me from a distance. They know my performances and me playing cricket. At its core, I understand where I have come from. And you never really stop being the person that you are. I don’t see myself through the same lens as other people do,” Virat Kohli concluded.
