Kohli's Last Dance: Chasing Tendulkar's 100-Century Everest in Final ODI Window

Cricket legend Virat Kohli is down to his final stretch in One Day International (ODI) cricket, with the 2027 ODI World Cup looming as his last major tournament. Having already retired from Test and T20I formats, the prodigious batter now has a narrow window of opportunity to surpass Sachin Tendulkar monumental record of 100 international centuries, currently standing at 86 after his recent 55th ODI hundred against West Indies. The chase intensifies as the cricketing world watches, with only 11 confirmed bilateral ODI scheduled for India before the global showpiece. The stakes are incredibly high, as the debate heats up among former players and pundits regarding Kohli's chances. Ex-India wicketkeeper and current Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach, Dinesh Karthik, weighed in, expressing skepticism about Kohli reaching the 'century of centuries' mark. Karthik, however, believes England's Joe Root has a 'good chance' of breaking Tendulkar's record for most Test runs, highlighting the different paths these modern greats are navigating in their careers. Kohli's decision to focus solely on ODI underscores the immense pressure and precision required in this final phase. With just over a year and a half left until the 2027 World Cup, Kohli needs 14 more centuries to equal Tendulkar's overall tally and 15 to set a new benchmark of 101 international hundreds. India's upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe will be crucial opportunities for Kohli to add to his count. The cricketing fraternity will be watching closely to see if the 'King' can defy the odds and etch his name further into the annals of history before his illustrious career concludes.