‘Shubman Gill has the desire and perspective to lead India for long’: Kohli

Dubai: Virat Kohli has shattered Sachin Tendulkar's longstanding record by becoming the first batter in One Day International history to accumulate more than 7,000 runs at home. The 37-year-old Indian cricketer scored a breathtaking unbeaten 139 off just 88 balls, securing his 55th ODI century. Kohli's explosive innings included ten fours and a career-best nine sixes, propelling him to a strike rate of 157.95.

With this remarkable performance, Kohli not only became only the second player after Tendulkar to reach the 15,000 ODI run mark, but also surpassed Tendulkar's previous record of 6,976 home ODI runs. This achievement came during India's emphatic eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in their first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram. Kohli, who had not played an ODI since India's tour of England in July, returned to home conditions with a flourish, scoring his half-century in just 40 balls before surging in the latter stages of his innings.

He completed his century in just 74 balls, finishing with a powerful six. Kohli's innings also included a century from his partner Shubman Gill, who scored 110, as India chased down the West Indies' 295-7 in a mere 41.4 overs, clinching the match by eight wickets with 50 balls to spare. This innings not only added another chapter to Kohli's already impressive career, but also brought him closer to Tendulkar's record of 100 international centuries.