India captain Shubman Gill is content to give Virat Kohli complete freedom as the team begins preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli produced another outstanding performance on Sunday, September 27, scoring an unbeaten 139 against the West Indies to help India chase down 296 in just 41.4 overs.
The century was Kohli's fourth in his last 11 ODI innings and another indication of the superb form he has found in the format. The veteran batter has recently adopted a more aggressive approach, choosing to attack earlier in his innings instead of taking longer to build his score.
Kohli's current form has strengthened his case for a place in India's World Cup squad. Speaking after the match, Gill said a player with Kohli's record deserves the freedom to play according to his instincts because his performances can win matches for India.
“Someone like him, who has won so many games for the country. Who has done it over and over again, you just let him play however he wants to play on the day because when he plays well, he can win matches for you,” Gill said after India's victory in the first ODI against West Indies.
IN VIRAT KOHLI WE TRUST
Gill's remarks highlight the freedom India can give Kohli when he is performing at this level. With the former captain continuing to deliver match-winning innings, Gill is comfortable allowing him to decide how he wants to construct his knocks.
Kohli himself acknowledged that his approach to ODI batting has evolved.
“I've got a challenge at this stage of my career to kind of up the ante and play a gear or two higher, and yeah, that was exciting for me to work on,” Kohli said after reaching his century.
The 37-year-old explained that trying to discover another version of himself at this point in his career has provided additional motivation.
“Again, it excites you when you have to unlock a new version at this stage of your career, which will eventually help any team that you play for, be it playing for India or in the IPL.”
That new approach was evident in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kohli took 40 deliveries to reach his fifty before dramatically increasing the scoring rate. He eventually remained unbeaten on 139 from 88 balls, striking 10 fours and nine sixes as India comfortably completed their 296-run chase.
His 151-run partnership with Gill laid the platform for the successful pursuit. Gill scored 110 from 108 balls, while Kohli produced the explosive finish that took the match beyond West Indies' reach.
KOHLI'S LANDMARK INNINGS
The century was Kohli's fourth in his previous 11 ODI innings and his 25th hundred in a successful ODI chase. He further extended his advantage over Sachin Tendulkar, who has 14 centuries in successful ODI run chases.
The innings also delivered several other milestones.
Kohli became only the second player after Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs. He reached the mark in 303 innings, making him the fastest batter to achieve the feat.
His century also brought him level with Sunil Gavaskar for the most international centuries against the West Indies, with both players having 13. Kohli also matched his own record for the most ODI centuries against one opponent, having now scored 10 hundreds against both West Indies and Sri Lanka.
During the chase, Kohli also overtook Tendulkar to become the leading run-scorer in ODI cricket in his home country. He now has 7,006 runs from 131 ODIs in India at an average of 63.69.
He also completed 200 ODI sixes and drew level with Tendulkar's record of 60 List A centuries.
Beyond the numbers, however, it was the attacking nature of Kohli's innings that attracted attention.
His strike rate exceeded 157, marking a departure from his traditionally measured approach of building an innings before accelerating later. Against West Indies, he steadily raised the tempo before launching an assault that the visitors could not contain.
Kohli said his current freedom at the crease comes from both his mindset and his physical preparation.
“It’s really helped me a lot to play with a free mind, and I think that's what's working for me,” he said.
He added that maintaining physical fitness is essential for him to be able to bat with that freedom.
“But I think to follow a free mind, you need a fit body. So for me it works the other way around. I stay physically fit and then I'm able to visualise the game in the way that I want to play, which allows me the best chance to go out there and execute in the way that I did tonight.”
GILL LOOKS BEYOND THE TOP ORDER
India's broader focus is now on developing the team that will eventually compete at the 2027 World Cup.
The top order already has considerable experience and firepower, with Kohli and Gill sharing a 151-run partnership after Rohit Sharma's quick start. However, Gill understands that India's batting cannot depend exclusively on its top three or four players.
The captain wants the team to have eight reliable batting options in the playing XI, particularly because matches can shift quickly even when a side appears to be in a strong position.
“Ideally yes. We would want an 8th batting option. Someone who can contribute 25-30 runs. We have seen many times, we had been in situations before where we have been in good positions where we were not able to get scores we wanted. So number 8 becomes a crucial position for us. But we are open to trying different combinations and seeing what works for us,” Gill said.
For the moment, however, there is little reason for India's captain to interfere with Kohli's current approach.
The 2027 World Cup is still more than a year away, leaving India plenty of time to address questions about their final combination. With Kohli continuing to score quickly, dominate opposing attacks and produce the major innings that have defined his career, Gill is happy to allow the veteran batter to continue playing on his own terms.
