Virat Kohli added another significant milestone to his remarkable ODI career on Sunday as India faced the West Indies in the first match of the three-game series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kohli’s inclusion in India’s playing XI meant he surpassed former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin to become the country’s most-capped player in ODIs against the West Indies.
The match marked Kohli’s 44th ODI appearance against the Caribbean side, taking him one game beyond Azharuddin’s previous record of 43 appearances. Azharuddin had established that mark between 1985 and 1998, and it remained untouched for almost three decades.
At 37, Kohli continues to add to a record that reflects his extraordinary longevity in international cricket.
Virat Kohli Becomes India’s Most-Capped Player Against West Indies
Kohli first played against the West Indies in ODI cricket in 2009. Since then, he has appeared regularly against the Caribbean team across different phases of his career.
His 44th appearance moved him past Azharuddin at the top of India’s list.
More significantly, Kohli already dominates the batting numbers in India-West Indies ODI contests. According to the figures provided in the report, he has scored 2,261 runs in 44 matches, including nine centuries.
His highest ODI score against the West Indies is an unbeaten 157, which he made in Visakhapatnam in 2018.
Most ODIs for India Against West Indies
| Player | Career Span | ODIs vs WI | Runs | Hundreds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 2009–2026 | 44* | 2,261 | 9 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 1985–1998 | 43 | 998 | 0 |
| Kapil Dev | 1979–1994 | 42 | 842 | 0 |
| Rahul Dravid | 1997–2009 | 40 | 1,348 | 3 |
| MS Dhoni | 2005–2019 | 39 | 1,005 | 0 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1991–2011 | 39 | 1,573 | 4 |
The Kohli figure reflects the first ODI of the 2026 series mentioned in the supplied report.
Kohli Closing in on Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s Overall Record
Although Kohli has now moved to the top among Indian players, the overall record for appearances in ODI matches between India and the West Indies remains with former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Chanderpaul played 46 ODIs against India between 1994 and 2009.
That leaves Kohli two matches short of the overall mark after the first ODI of the current series.
If he plays the remaining two games of the bilateral series, Kohli would reach 46 appearances against the West Indies and draw level with Chanderpaul’s reported tally.
That would add another international milestone to a career already filled with batting and longevity records.
A Record Built Over 17 Years
Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008 and encountered the West Indies for the first time a year later.
His rise from a young international batter to one of India’s most experienced ODI players has coincided with major changes in the international cricket calendar.
The number of bilateral ODI matches played by teams has varied considerably over the years, while the growth of T20 cricket has also changed how international schedules are structured.
Azharuddin’s 43 appearances against the West Indies came during a period when India played the Caribbean side frequently across bilateral series and tournaments.
Kohli’s achievement therefore represents not just consistency but also an unusually long ODI career across multiple generations of Indian cricket.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Return to India’s XI
The milestone came as India began the ODI series against the West Indies with preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in focus.
India won the toss and elected to bowl first, with Naman Dhir making his international debut.
Kohli returned to the playing XI alongside Rohit Sharma.
India Playing XI
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill (captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- KL Rahul (wicketkeeper)
- Naman Dhir
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Gurnoor Brar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Prasidh Krishna
West Indies Playing XI
- John Campbell
- Justin Greaves
- Keacy Carty
- Shai Hope (captain and wicketkeeper)
- Amir Jangoo
- Jewel Andrew
- Roston Chase
- Matthew Forde
- Gudakesh Motie
- Alzarri Joseph
- Jayden Seales
Another Milestone in Kohli’s ODI Career
Kohli’s record against the West Indies combines two different aspects of his ODI career: longevity and productivity.
He has not merely played more matches against the Caribbean side than any other Indian player; the supplied statistics also place him comfortably ahead of his predecessors in runs and centuries.
With the current series providing up to three matches, Kohli also has the opportunity to move closer to Chanderpaul’s overall India-West Indies appearance record.
For now, his 44th ODI against the West Indies has already rewritten one long-standing entry in India’s record books.
Mohammad Azharuddin’s 43-match mark, set between 1985 and 1998, has finally been surpassed by another Indian batting great nearly 28 years after his record-setting period ended.
