Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar - (Source: AFP)
Asia Cup 2027 finally has a date and will run from June 18th to July 4th. Bangladesh will continue as the hosts. The upcoming event will serve as a practice tournament for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Now eyes are on Virat Kohli, who has extra games on his hands to achieve the 100-century milestone.
Virat Kohli has 85 centuries and is just 15 tons away from equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 100 centuries. There are reports that the 37-year-old will bow out of the game after the 2027 ODI World Cup, which means that there are limited opportunities left for the India No.3 to achieve this rare feat.
Therefore, this article will shed light on how many matches Virat Kohli will have to complete 100 centuries before the World Cup 2027.
India’s ODI Schedule Till ODI World Cup 2027
- India Tour of England - 3 ODIs
- West Indies Tour Of India - 3 ODIs
- India tour of New Zealand - 5 ODIs
- Sri Lanka Tour of India - 3 ODIs
- Zimbabwe Tour of India - 3 ODIs
So far, the schedule is out till January 2027. The January-March window is reserved for the five-match Test series between India and Australia. Further, the late-March June window is reserved for the IPL.
In the latest events, the June-July window has been reserved for Asia Cup 2027 which runs from 18 June to 4 July.
How Many Matches Does Virat Kohli Need to Reach 100 Centuries Before ODI World Cup?
Among the bilateral series, there will be 17 ODIs for Virat Kohli before the Asia Cup 2027 comes up. Interestingly, the right-handed batter has the chance to go past Sachin Tendulkar’s tally even before the Asia Cup 2027.
So far, the fixtures for the Asia Cup 2027 are not out, but if the structure is the same as the 2023 ODI Asia Cup, then India will have a minimum of two matches and a maximum of 6 matches if they play the final.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma's Massive ICC Tournament Record Broken By Ellyse Perry
Therefore, before the start of the 2027 ODI World Cup, Virat Kohli will have around 23 ODIs and require 15 centuries to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
How Many Matches Will Virat Kohli Require If He Plays the ODI World Cup 2027?
Notably, there is a doubt surrounding Kohli’s place in the India squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. It all will depend on the form and fitness around the time of the prestigious fifty-over event.
If Virat go to play the tournament, then according to the new format, India will play a maximum of 13 ODIs and a minimum of six ODIs. Thus, the 37-year-old wll have 36 ODIs if everything goes as per the plan.
How realistic is it for Virat Kohli to break the 100-century record?
In realistic terms, it is possible. Virat has struggled in England and New Zealand, and it is likely that he might score just one or two tons away from home. However, home series against Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe present him with the best chance to take his century tally to 90-95.
Asia Cup 2027 also has 6 matches, where one can expect Virat to score several tons as he already has 6 centuries in Bangladesh, the most for him in any country outside India. Nonetheless, it looks unlikely for Virat to break Sachin’s record before the ODI World Cup.
Hence, to conclude, the 2027 ODI World Cup itself looks like the best opportunity for Virat to enter the elite 100 centuries record.
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