Sports · Cricket · 13 hrs ago
Gavaskar says teammates could help Kohli reach 100 international centuries
Sunil Gavaskar said teammates might sacrifice runs to help Virat Kohli reach 100 international centuries, if doing so does not harm India’s chances of winning.
Kohli scored 74 off 51 balls in India’s rain-affected first ODI against New Zealand.
As India closed in on victory, captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer might have had to choose whether to finish the chase or give Kohli time to reach his hundred.
Gavaskar said winning must come first, but helping a player reach a major personal milestone could also be a shared celebration.
Kohli was out with India at 124 for three, so Gill and Iyer were spared that difficult choice.
Kohli has 86 international centuries, while Sachin Tendulkar remains the only batter to have reached 100; the sources do not say when Kohli might next get a chance to close the gap.
Sunil Gavaskar said a teammate could sacrifice runs to give Virat Kohli a chance to reach 100 international centuries, if doing so did not harm the team's chances of winning.
Kohli scored 74 off 51 balls in India's first ODI against New Zealand.
He was dismissed with India at 124/3 while the team was chasing a low target in a rain-affected match.
Gavaskar said captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer were spared the dilemma of balancing the chase with Kohli's milestone.
Kohli has 86 international centuries, while Sachin Tendulkar is the only batter to have reached 100.
- Who
- Sunil Gavaskar commented on Virat Kohli's pursuit of 100 international centuries and the possible choices facing teammates Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.
- What
- Gavaskar said a teammate could sacrifice runs to give Kohli a chance at the milestone, provided it did not compromise India's chance of winning.
- When
- Kohli's innings came in the first ODI against New Zealand. The articles were published on November 9, 2026.
- Where
- The first ODI was against New Zealand; the match location is not stated.
- Why
- Kohli is pursuing 100 international centuries, and Gavaskar said fans would welcome a teammate helping him reach the landmark if the team's result was not put at risk.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Kohli scored 74 off 51 balls and was dismissed with India at 124/3 in the chase.
Gill and Iyer were spared the decision of whether to manage the chase around Kohli's possible century.
The Times of India and NDTV Sports published reports on Gavaskar's comments.
- Kohli's score
- 74 off 51 deliveries
- India's score at Kohli's dismissal
- 124/3
- Kohli's international centuries
- 86
- Milestone Kohli is pursuing
- 100 international centuries
- Only batter with 100 international hundreds
- Sachin Tendulkar
2 sources
What people are saying
There is not a single Indian cricket fan who does not want Kohli to get to 100 international centuries.
Yes, it's a team game, but it's also good for the team if one of its members, especially a star player, gets to a personal milestone without affecting the team's chances of winning.