Virat Kohli sent a message loud and clear to the Indian selectors and stamped his authority as a central figure in India’s plans for the 2027 ICC World Cup with his record-breaking century for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.
The 37-year-old batsman sent a clear message about his form, fitness and hunger as his path to the 2027 ICC World Cup looks stronger than ever. Playing his first home 50-over match since 2010, Kohli played a blistering inning of 131 runs with the help of 12 fours and 3 sixes in just 101 balls.
Kohli was out just 26 runs away from the team’s victory. The former Indian captain’s brilliant century played a crucial role in Delhi’s successful chase of 299 in the opening match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 against Andhra Pradesh at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Virat Kohli joins elite list with historic century for Delhi
In a major achievement, Kohli’s innings helped him break another record of the great Sachin Tendulkar, as he has now become the fastest batsman to reach 16,000 runs in List A cricket.
Also read: Pakistan U19 star Sameer Minhas brutally insults Virat Kohli!
The dashing right-handed batsman achieved this milestone in his 330th innings, while Tendulkar had taken 391 innings to reach 16,000 runs in List A cricket. The feat highlights the Delhi player’s unmatched consistency in the 50-over format of the game.
Kohli added another major milestone in his career by becoming the ninth player in history to cross 16,000 runs in List-A cricket. Among the 113 batsmen who have scored more than 10,000 runs in this format, Kohli’s average of 57.6 is second only to Michael Bevan’s 57.86.
In this exclusive list, only AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni also have an average above 50. Additionally, the former Indian captain has now scored 58 List-A centuries, further cementing his place among the greatest ODI batsmen of all time.
Virat Kohli’s masterclass in chasing targets
Chasing a tough target of 299, Kohli took charge as soon as he came in to bat after Arpit Rana was out for a duck in two balls in the very first over. He steadied the innings before mastering his trademark aggressive chase against Andhra Pradesh.
He scored two important century stands in the VHT clash:
- Made a partnership of 113 runs for the second wicket with Delhi opener Priyansh Arya (74 runs on 44 balls).
- A devastating partnership of 160 runs with Nitish Rana (77 runs off 55 balls) for the third wicket sealed the game for Delhi.
Also read: On his return to Vijay Hazare Trophy, Virat Kohli sent a strong message to Gautam Gambhir by scoring a brilliant century.
World Cup 2027: Rajkumar Sharma confirms participation of batsmen
After retiring from Test and T20I cricket, Virat Kohli’s only focus is ODIs and the 2027 ICC World Cup. This appearance at Vijay Hazare was a direct audition for selection and Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma left no doubt about his preparation for this mega event.
There was speculation over Kohli’s place in India’s 2027 World Cup plans, but the way he is batting, the selectors will not be able to ignore the former captain. However, Kohli will need to continue his excellent form as the tournament is still two years away.
“He is in great form. He batted very well and ensured Delhi’s victory. He played domestic cricket after a long time but still performed brilliantly. He is the most consistent player of the Indian team and is all set for the World Cup,” ANI quoted Rajkumar Sharma as saying.
#Watch Rajkot, Gujarat On Virat Kohli’s comeback for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and his century against Andhra Pradesh, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma says, “He is in great form. He batted very well and ensured Delhi’s victory. He… pic.twitter.com/XXkY1nsaBr
– ANI (@ANI) 24 December 2025
