Virat Kohli has reached 85 international centuries in his career after his most recent ton (54th ODI ton) in IND vs NZ 3rd ODI in Indore. The record for most centuries in international cricket belongs to Sachin Tendulkar, who notched up 100 across all formats. He is the only player to achieve this monumental milestone.
For Virat Kohli to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary “Century of Centuries,” the math is clear:
Virat’s Current Total: 85 Centuries
Target: 101 Centuries (To break the record)
Gap: 16 Centuries
Format breakdown (As of Jan 19, 2026):
ODI: Virat Kohli – 54 (World Record), Sachin Tendulkar – 49
Test: Virat Kohli – 30, Sachin Tendulkar – 51
T20I: Virat Kohli – 10, Sachin Tendulkar – 0
Total: Virat Kohli – 85, Sachin Tendulkar – 100
Virat Kohli announced Test retirement in May 2025 and his earlier exit from T20Is after India’s win in 2024 T20 World Cup final. His path to the century of centuries rests solely on One Day International (ODI) format.
While needing 16 centuries in a single format at age 37 seems like a “daunting mountain,” Virat Kohli’s current form – 616 runs and 3 centuries in his last 7 innings – suggests he is in a race against time rather than a decline in skill.
To reach 101, Virat Kohli will likely need to extend his career through 2027 ODI World Cup.
When will Virat return to play for India?
Virat Kohli is expected to make his next appearance for India in the ODI series against England, which begins on July 14, 2026.
His most recent international outing was third ODI against New Zealand on January 18, 2026, and he is not scheduled to play in any upcoming T20Is or Tests due to his retirement from those formats.
Since Kohli has retired from Test and T20 cricket, his future national team appearances will mostly be in ODIs. After New Zealand series, India’s schedule includes several T20 fixtures and the T20 World Cup, tournaments in which Kohli will not feature.
Before returning to international cricket in July, fans will get to see him in action for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL, running from March to May 2026. The dates for a possible home series against Afghanistan in June 2026 are still being finalized.
