It was far too early to write off Virat Kohli. Some knew it well before his recent triumphs in Raipur and Ranchi. Back in February, former Australia captain Steve Waugh argued that criticism was the best way to light a fire under Kohli, adding that “it’s probably the best thing they can do.”
In the span of a week, on 30 November and 3 December, Kohli scored consecutive centuries in the two-match ODI series against South Africa giving a befitting reply to his critics.
A certified ODI legend, 37-year-old Kohli’s career was labelled ‘finished’ by critics not too long ago. Some wondered whether he should even be in the 2027 World Cup squad in his so-called “twilight years”. His retirement from T20s last year and his exit from Tests in May fuelled speculation about how long he’d continue in ODIs, especially after consecutive ducks during the Australia series in October.
But not everyone accepted the ‘titan in decline’ story. New Zealand cricketer Tim Southee contended that “age is just a number” for arguably the “best ever one-day batsman”, and Irfan Pathan even pointed to Kohli’s trademark celebratory leaps as proof of his agility.
Last month, Kohli returned to India, trained twice in the Ranchi heat, once under lights, rested on the eve of the match, and stepped out to cover-drive as though he had never been away. He smashed two back-to-back tons, and showed impressive running between the wickets, reminding fans of his 2016 form.
At a time when the Indian team is transitioning and fielding several inexperienced players, Kohli’s presence becomes even more crucial. Youngsters benefit from sharing the crease with him, something clearly visible in Ruturaj Gaikwad’s composed partnership with the former Indian skipper during the second ODI. Now, he’s also back in the domestic game after a 15-year gap with the Vijay Hazare Trophy, reportedly to assuage the BCCI’s displeasure with his comments that he didn’t need domestic matches to stay ready.
Kohli’s return has fed into every conversation that matters in Indian cricket, from age to fitness to domestic duty. And this is why he is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the week.
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The numbers don’t lie
Scoring consecutive ODI hundreds was almost routine for Kohli during his peak years from 2016 to 2018. His back-to-back centuries against South Africa now mark the 11th time he has achieved this feat, by far the most in the history of the format. The next best is AB de Villiers with six back-to-back centuries. For a player supposedly past his prime, it’s proof that he’s nowhere near done.
With his latest century, Kohli further stretched the gap between himself and Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time ODI hundreds list, moving four centuries ahead. Raipur also became the 34th ODI venue where he has registered a century, bringing him level with Tendulkar for the most such grounds.
Kohli’s tally of 84 international tons is second only to Tendulkar’s 100, and stands a formidable 26 centuries ahead of the next active batter, Joe Root, on 58. He also boasts an average of nearly 70 against South Africa in ODIs, the highest among the six batters who have scored at least 1,500 runs against them
The consecutive tons also come after there was a regular pressure on him, as well as Rohit Sharma, to play domestic cricket regularly if they want to represent India in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Speaking on his YouTube channel in October, Irrfan Pathan had said, “Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) want to play the 2027 World Cup, but game fitness will be a big challenge for them. Rohit has worked well on his fitness. He is focused on that. But there is regular fitness, and game time fitness… If you are not playing regular cricket, both of them have to ensure some game time. They have to play domestic cricket.”
After being crowned the ‘man of the match’ in the first ODI in November, Kohli said in the post-match presentation that two hours in the nets are enough for him after 15-16 years at this level.
“I am just playing one format of the game. I have played 300-odd ODI games, and so much cricket over the last 15-16 years. If you are in touch with the game, you know your reflexes are there, you can bat two hours in the nets without taking a break, you are meeting all those markers,” said Kohli.
Sports psychologist Mugdha Bavare, in a conversation with ThePrint, backed Kohli’s statement saying that after so many years “the body goes into auto-pilot mode, especially skill wise. One doesn’t need to hammer themselves daily with skills.”
Another sports psychologist, Gandhali Bapat, also noted that the “mental game” seems to come first for Kohli—living in the moment and “just focusing on one ball at a time.”
Meanwhile, the BCCI reportedly didn’t appreciate Kohli’s claim that he didn’t need domestic cricket to stay ready. In a turn of events, he will play the Vijay Hazare Trophy later this month for the first time since 2010.
“He has confirmed his availability to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. How many games he will feature in is not clear yet. Obviously, his presence will be a massive boost to the Delhi dressing room,” said Rohan Jaitley, president of the Delhi & District Cricket Association.
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The 100 centuries question
One question keeps resurfacing in Indian cricket circles and social media: will Kohli, along with Rohit Sharma, play in the 2027 World Cup? The debate gained fresh momentum on 2 December, a day before he scored his 53rd ODI hundred in the second India-South Africa match in Raipur.
Kohli is currently in excellent form, but the next World Cup — scheduled for October-November 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia — is still two years away. And in cricket, two years is a long time for circumstances, performance, and fortunes to change.
Even so, his World Cup prospects are easier to call than the other question that keeps coming back: whether he can reach 100 international hundreds.
That landmark, met only by Sachin Tendulkar, is a challenging one, but certainly not impossible, considering Kohli’s recent performance. One needn’t look further than his 120-ball 135 in Ranchi in the first ODI.
Both of his innings in the series showed peak fitness, sharp running between the wickets, situational awareness, gap selection, and reliable fielding.
Kohli may joke about needing to colour his beard every four days, but age has mattered far less than critics have predicted. Selection should hinge on form and fitness, especially as he now exclusively plays the ODI format.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)