New Delhi, November 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes Virat Kohli may not have enough matches before the 2027 ODI World Cup to reach the landmark of 100 international centuries, although he would like to see the batting star achieve the feat.
Speaking during a discussion with former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on JioStar, Nayar said the number of matches remaining before the World Cup could make the milestone difficult for Kohli.
“I don’t think there are enough games for him to reach that milestone. As much as I want him to, there have to be sufficient games for you to scale also,” Nayar said. He added that Kohli could continue playing after the World Cup, but his motivation might change.
Kohli currently holds the record for the most centuries in men’s ODI cricket, with 55 hundreds. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record of 49 and became the first batter to score 50 ODI centuries during the 2023 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
The discussion also focused on India’s need to develop another seam-bowling all-rounder alongside Hardik Pandya. Nayar said grooming an additional option could give the team greater flexibility, particularly on tours to New Zealand and South Africa.
He suggested that a combination of two specialist fast bowlers and two seam-bowling all-rounders could strengthen India’s batting depth and overall team balance.
Pujara, meanwhile, backed the development of Nitish Kumar Reddy as a like-for-like backup for Hardik, citing the latter’s fitness concerns.
“When Hardik is fit, obviously he will be part of the playing XI. But you can’t rely on just one player,” Pujara said, adding that Nitish should be groomed as an alternative.
Both former cricketers also advocated the return of tri-nation and quadrangular ODI tournaments to revive interest in the 50-over format.
Nayar said multi-team competitions create greater stakes, strengthen preparation for major tournaments and produce memorable contests. Pujara added that facing several opponents would require teams to prepare for a wider range of players and could help improve fan engagement.
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