Virat Kohli’s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, believes the India great is fully ready for the 2027 ODI World Cup after the former captain marked his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a century for Delhi.
Kohli played a Vijay Hazare Trophy match for the first time since 2010 as Delhi took on Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Wednesday, the opening day of India’s premier 50-over competition. Batting with trademark authority and control, the 37-year-old struck a superb 131 off just 101 deliveries to anchor Delhi’s successful chase of 299.
Rajkumar Sharma said Kohli’s performance showed there was little rust despite the long gap away from domestic cricket. “He is in brilliant form. He batted very well and ensured Delhi’s victory. He played domestic cricket after a long time, but still performed exceptionally well. He is the most consistent player in the Indian team and is fully ready for the World Cup,” Rajkumar Sharma told ANI.
His innings, laced with 12 fours and three sixes, carried historic weight. Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 16,000 runs in List A cricket, getting there in his 330th innings and eclipsing the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who had taken 391 innings to reach the landmark. Kohli is now only the second Indian batter to cross the 16,000-run mark in the format.
The hundred followed closely on the heels of back-to-back ODI centuries against South Africa earlier this month, a run of form that has underlined Kohli’s enduring relevance in the 50-over game. Having retired from T20 Internationals and Tests, Kohli now plays only ODIs, with a clear focus on extending his career towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
His decision to return to domestic cricket comes in the backdrop of the BCCI’s renewed emphasis on senior players featuring in domestic tournaments, as well as Kohli’s own desire to remain match-ready and rhythmically sharp.
Kohli walked in to bat in the very first over and steadily took control of the chase. He first added 113 runs for the second wicket with opener Priyansh Arya, before stitching together a decisive 160-run partnership for the third wicket with Nitish Rana. Kohli was eventually dismissed for 131 with Delhi needing just 26 more runs to win.
He was well-supported by Rana, who scored 77 off 55 balls, and Arya, who chipped in with a fluent 74 from 44 deliveries, as Delhi overhauled the target in 37.4 overs.
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