Fifty-nine runs. That is all standing between Virat Kohli and the 15,000-run club in one-day internationals. It’s a threshold only Sachin Tendulkar has ever crossed, making this upcoming West Indies series more than just a routine fixture. It’s a potential coronation.
Kohli’s dominance against the Caribbean side is almost off the charts. He has amassed 2,261 runs in 43 matches, averaging 66.50 with nine centuries and 11 fifties. His highest score against them is an unbeaten 157 from Visakhapatnam in 2018, an innings that also saw him smash the 10,000-run barrier in just 205 innings. Faster than anyone. Much faster than the previous record holder.
There’s another milestone lurking in the shadows. Kohli already has 10 ODI centuries against Sri Lanka. If he hits a hundred against West Indies, he becomes the first batter in ODI history to score 10 centuries against two different teams. A unique badge of honor. One that highlights his specific knack for dismantling West Indies bowlers in both home and away conditions.
He won’t be doing it alone in memory, though. Kohli has three Player of the Series awards against them, including a 453-run haul in the 2018 home series where he scored three centuries in five games. The West Indies have never been easier to read for him. The stats don’t lie.
The first ODI kicks off on September 27. If Kohli keeps his bat in the crease, the record books might just need a new page.