Can Virat Kohli Surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s Record of 100 Centuries? Here’s a Look at His Chances

Following two centuries against South Africa, Virat Kohli has reaffirmed his ODI dominance. Focused on this format with the 2027 World Cup ahead, his chances of surpassing Tendulkar’s 100 centuries depend on form, fitness, and the remaining matches.

Former India captain and star batter Virat Kohli is in red-hot form in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. Kohli returned to the national side after a brief break following the Australia ODI series Down Under in October, and put up dominant performances in the first two ODIs of the series against the Proteas.

In the series opener in Ranchi, Virat Kohli grabbed the headlines with a brilliant 135-run knock that propelled Team India to a solid total of 349/8, which was successfully defended by the bowlers, who bundled out the Proteas for 332 in 49.2 overs. In the second ODI in Raipur, the 37-year-old carried on his momentum by scoring 102 off 93 balls to guide the Men in Blue to 358/5, but his effort eventually went in vain as India lost the match by four wickets.

With two consecutive centuries, Virat Kohli has sent a strong reminder to the selectors and team management about his form and consistency, alongside his reaffirmation to be part of India’s long-term ODI plans in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

From All Forms to One-Format Player

After having retired from Tests and T20Is, Virat Kohli is playing ODI cricket at the international level, intending to extend his illustrious career till the 2027 World Cup, which is likely to be his swansong. Though Kohli has not officially confirmed whether he will feature in the marquee event, his participation in the ODI series against Australia and South Africa showcases his commitment to be part of India’s plans for the World Cup.

There were doubts about his form following the break after his Test retirement. Still, the veteran batter’s performances in the final ODI against Australia at SCG and the first two matches of the ODI series against South Africa put all speculation to rest, proving that Kohli’s hunger, timing, and match-winning intent remain sharp as ever.

In the ongoing ODI series against South Africa, the former India captain has amassed 237 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 118.50 and a strike rate of 111.70 in two matches so far, not only showcasing his dominance but also dictating the tempo of the innings even at the age of 37, underlining his continued value as India’s most reliable ODI batter.

Pursuit of Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 Centuries Record

Virat Kohli has 84 international centuries under his belt, just 16 centuries short of matching former India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries. From being the successor to Tendulkar to emerging as a modern-day great in his own right, Kohli is in touching distance of a milestone once thought untouchable.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli remain the only batters to have scored 80 centuries or more in international cricket, underscoring how far they stand from the rest of the modern batting field. The next best is 71 centuries by a former Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, followed by South African all-round legend Jacques Kallis and former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 63 and 62 centuries in international cricket, respectively.

What stands out about Virat Kohli from the rest of the batters, including Sachin Tendulkar, is that he holds the record for the most centuries in a single format, with 53 centuries in ODI cricket, surpassing Tendulkar’s unmatched tally of 51 Test hundreds, highlighting how Kohli’s ODI dominance has carved a legacy similar to former Indian batting legend’s mastery in the longest format.

The Delhi-born cricketer has shattered several records in his international career, but his pursuit of the 100-century milestone stands as the last frontier in a career already etched in cricketing folklore.

Can Virat Kohli Surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s Record?

Virat Kohli is 17 centuries away from shattering Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries. Given that the veteran batter is playing one format of the game, maintaining peak form, fitness, and consistency over the last couple of years will be crucial if he aims to close the gap and etch his name above Tendulkar in cricket history.

Team India has one match remaining in 2025, which is the third and final match of the series in Vizag on Saturday, December 6. From January to December 2026, the Men in Blue will play 18 ODI matches across seven bilateral series. In 2027, realistically, India are expected to play 14-20 games in the Asia Cup and the World Cup. Before the marquee event, Team India may play 5-6 games alongside the Asia Cup.

So in total, Team India is likely to play a total of 37 to 44 ODI matches, including the Asia Cup and the World Cup, if the team performs well in both tournaments. Considering the number of ODI matches likely to be played for the next two years, Virat Kohli would need to score 0.39 to 0.46 centuries per match to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international matches. This means the right-handed batter would need to maintain an extraordinary level of consistency, scoring a century approximately once every 2–3 games.

It remains to be seen whether Virat Kohli can maintain remarkable consistency over the next two years to etch his name further in cricketing history by breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record.