Ball-by-Ball Commentary
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 10:07 pm
Coming into the game as overwhelming favourites, it took India more than 100 deliveries to get the first breakthrough. They pulled back things well to restrict West Indies to a score <300. With the bat, it was a stroll in the park for the hosts, thanks to classy centuries from Gill and Kohli. West Indies failed to capitalise on the start provided by the openers and couldn't create any sort of pressure with the ball. A couple of dropped catches and the dew didn't help their cause either. Can they find a way to slot in Vitel Lawes and Shamar Joseph - two wicket-taking bowlers - for the next game? It's time to bring the curtains down on this encounter. Three matches and three convincing wins for India in Thiruvananthapuram. The action shifts from Coastal South West India to North East India. Tune in on Wednesday (September 30th) for the second ODI in Guwahati. Until then, goodbye and good night.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 10:03 pm
Kuldeep Yadav | Player of the Match: [On what he enjoyed most] I actually loved the batting from Shubman and Virat bhai, it was a special inning from them. It feels awkward to receive the Man of the Match award, seeing the way Virat bhai batted, it was an outstanding inning. [On what he personally enjoyed most about his bowling] I think personally I liked my rhythm, to be very honest. I was very calm in my rhythm and just trying to bowl whatever I felt like bowling, just varying the pace, variations were superb, just reading the batters, where they're going to hit me, and yeah, I found it very good in rhythm. [On what this performance means after periods of being in and out of the side] It always feels nice when you enjoy your bowling and that's where you achieve your best, and when you are enjoying your bowling, when you are a bit relaxed as well, then your performance comes at peak. So, sometimes it feels to get that confidence back, you have to have a bowling spell like this, definitely, you grow your confidence. I still believe there's a lot to improve as a spinner and I believe the rhythm, it's all about your flow, bowling flow, and when you are comfortable and when you are in good flow, then everything looks so good. I personally feel there's still a chance to improve, and I'm going to stick with the same rhythm, that's the most important thing. Any format, it's just you feel comfortable in your rhythm and in your flow. [On his love of football] Yeah, of course, I love football, been watching football from early age and then obviously watching the live games. [On whether his football team is doing well] Yeah, we're doing really well, and if you look at the standing-wise in terms of league position, we are number one, and then obviously the style of play which we talk about in Barcelona, we are really up to the mark. So obviously they are FC Barcelona fans, so we are very good in that, and the most important thing is to enjoy the football, and I think most of the guys in the Barcelona squad, they are doing that.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:59 pm
Shubman Gill | India captain: [On his 110 from 108 balls and whether he looks back at innings like this] Honestly, when I got out, I thought I should have finished the game. Would have been nice to be there in the end. But yes, very satisfying innings for me. [On the three boundaries he hit early against Alzarri Joseph and whether there was one that stood out to him] Probably the drive that was front foot. Yeah, off the front foot, that was my favourite. [On Kuldeep Yadav changing the game and the conversations he has with him as captain] Someone like him, especially in the middle overs, if he's bowling well, he's a wicket-taker for us and he's proved over again and again, and today as well. We were a bit on the back foot, with their opening partnership and how their top order was batting, but he got us back in the game, got us crucial wickets in the game, and at one point it looked like maybe they'll get 340-350, but from there to restrict them to 300 was a tremendous effort from us. [On Virat Kohli's batting, his freedom and the new level of six-hitting he is displaying] Yeah, I mean, he's batting superbly, and I think he's enjoying the game a lot more, playing with freedom and enjoying the game. And I think those are the effects of his batting. I mean, he always had the game, he always had the ability to clear the boundary at will, and I think he's doing that right now. [On whether, as captain, he simply leaves Virat Kohli to play his game] Yeah, I mean, someone like him who's won so many matches for the country, who's done it over and over again, you just let him be, and you just want him to play however he feels like on the day, because when he plays well, he can win matches for you. [On India's preference for having eight batting options and whether that could be the team's approach over the next 12 months] Yes, ideally yes. We would want an eighth batting option, someone who can contribute at least 25-30 runs. We have seen many times we had been in good positions at 250 for 5, and then we weren't able to get scores that we wanted. So number eight becomes a crucial position for us. But we are open to trying different combinations and seeing what works for us.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:56 pm
Shai Hope | West Indies captain: [On whether West Indies could have done anything differently with the bat] Yeah, for sure. We could definitely put more runs on the board. You know, when you come in on surfaces such as good surfaces here in India, you got to make sure you put a good score on the board. Maybe 60 to 80 runs short, to be fair. But yeah, then in the way you're bowling, when you're trying to defend a target, close to 290, I think you gotta make sure everything goes right for you. [On whether the middle overs were the issue given they were going at more than seven an over at one point] Yeah, that's it. When you got a platform like that, I thought the guys started really well. It's something that we were trying to improve on a lot for the last couple of series, the opening pair. And must commend the guys for the start they gave us. They laid a very good foundation, but then we got stuck there in the middle and then it made it a lot more difficult for us in the back end to get a competitive total. [On what West Indies can take from the match] Well again, we just got to grasp those key moments. Like I said, if we gotten a bit more runs, you never know, it could have changed the context to the game. And also we had a couple of chances when we fielded, so we never know what could happen there with that 290 score. You always got to believe that whatever runs you got on the board, you can defend it. But we always know that there's a lot more runs you can get in on these type of conditions. But yeah, you just got to take all the learnings from it and find ways to improve as a team. [On the successful opening partnership and whether Greaves is okay after being unable to finish the game] Hopefully. Yeah, we've got to see now what's going on, but it's unfortunate he couldn't finish the game for us today. [On the remaining two ODIs and his record of scoring runs in India] Yes, for sure, I need some.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:52 pm
Kohli (3/3): [On whether playing fewer formats gives him more clarity and allows him to feel calmer when he gets an opportunity] Yeah, I mean, also clarity. I mean, we're a year away from the World Cup. I know what my goal is, and yeah, it's pretty clear for me that whatever games we get, I just need to keep working on different aspects of the game, keep myself physically fit, challenge myself to be out there, run from boundary to boundary in the last 15 overs if I can, field in the inner ring, show intensity. If I keep ticking all those boxes, as I said, I've got some time left to play in this format as well, and yeah, I just want to enjoy every day. So when I get an opportunity, I feel happy rather than feeling anxiety or pressure to make the most of it. And I just want to express myself and play my game. As I said, I promised myself I'm going to play positively because I can. So I'm going to continue to play like that, but not be reckless. There's a fine line which, as a professional, as an experienced player, I should have the ability to execute in this way without playing reckless shots and get the team through. [On his partnership with Shubman Gill and what makes them click while batting, as well as Gill growing into the captaincy role] There's a reason why he's leading the team. He's got the right perspective, as I said, to look at the game in the way that making the team win from different situations. So when you play with a guy like that, it's not very difficult to string in a partnership, because he knows what needs to be done, I know what needs to be done. You could have a conversation here and there based on your experience in terms of the areas we could probably hit, but he's the top ODI batter in the world. There's not much that needs to be said to him. It's just about stringing in partnerships and making sure we do justice to the ability and the talent we have in this team. And he's probably up there with the best players in the world and obviously a very talented guy. So not having to say much to him while batting. In the field, when he needs my help, I'm always available.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:50 pm
Kohli (2/3): [On his head space at this stage of his life and career] I'm just very grateful and happy, to be honest. Like, you know, it's... I think the only thing we need to do is just look back once and, where we came from. That's something that we tend to forget when we are caught up with the hustle of the world and the positions we get into with so much attention and fame and so much love from the fans. It can be very easy to forget where you came from. But I think just looking back at the journey from when you started as a child just makes you feel grateful. I enjoy each and every minute that I'm out there playing for India, because I understand that, as I said, I could have been a possibility that I wouldn't be standing here. I wouldn't have played for India at all. That could have been my reality as well. But I'm getting to live all these amazing moments representing my country, playing in front of such big crowds and doing the job for the team. As a cricket player, this is all that I dreamt of, and I'm getting it. So I have nothing but gratitude in my heart, and, as I said, I just want to put my head down, keep working hard, put a smile on my face, and hopefully make other people smile too. [On his message to young players about remembering why they started playing the game and maintaining their love for cricket] Oh, for sure. I mean it's a fact which we don't want to face as athletes, that even if everything ends after this game, you have to play the way you want to play the game. And I think you have to remind yourself that every time you go out to play. That unlocks that positivity, that taking a risk, that unlocks that mindset which helps you to win games for your team. That's the only advice I would give to the young guys: don't think a lot about all the other stuff outside of the field. Once you enter the ground, this is everything, and it should be everything for you guys. And just put your body on the line. As I said, put your head down. If you have to run four doubles in an over when you're batting at 150, you have to do it. There are no excuses. So if they play like that, then you should be fine.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:50 pm
Virat Kohli (1/3): [On reaching 15,000 ODI runs and becoming the fastest to the milestone] Well, thank you firstly for the kind words. Well, my focus has never really been on these milestones, so to say. It's just understanding the situation along the course of just doing the job for the team, whatever. Achievements come along. Obviously, I feel very grateful and very blessed to be in this position for having played for so long. And yeah, just keeping my head down, working hard, and thanking God for everything that I've been blessed with and the opportunities that I've gotten in my life to be where I am. We have a very blessed life and a blessed journey because so many people want to be here, but we get to be the lucky ones. So, we better put our head down and just work hard every day of our lives. [On his batting and what allows him to keep performing consistently] Yeah, I think just the understanding of the game firstly, also at the stage that I'm at, you know, just keeping myself physically very fit, because the game's more or less in the mind. I've never been a guy who practiced a lot, even when I was playing all three formats, as you know. So it's just for me about staying mentally fresh, staying in the present moment and just expressing myself really out there to play in a certain way, get used to this template more often. I've got a challenge at this stage of my career to kind of up the ante and play a gear or two higher, and yeah, that was exciting for me to work on. Again, it excites you when you have to unlock a new version at this stage of your career, which will eventually help any team that you play for, be it playing for India or in the IPL. It's really helped me a lot to play with a free mind, and I think that's what's working for me. But I think to follow a free mind, you need a fit body. So for me it works the other way around. I stay physically fit and then I'm able to visualize the game in the way that I want to play, which allows me the best chance to go out there and execute in the way that I did tonight.
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
Stats by Deepu Narayanan
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
Involved in most wins in ODI run chases 127 S Tendulkar 116 MS Dhoni 112 V Kohli 111 R Ponting 110 J Kallis/ Rohit Sharma
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
India played 10 false shots and scored 10 runs off them without losing a wicket. West Indies played 42 and lost 5/35. India recorded just 4.3% false shots in their innings – the lowest ever in an ODI innings involving two Full Member sides (minimum 20 overs batted)
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
Most runs by Kohli off a bowler in an ODI 54 vs Trent Boult Mohali 2016 53 vs Alzarri Jospeh Trivandrum 2026 45 vs Vishwa Fernando Colombo RPS 2017 45 vs Lahiru Kumara Trivandrum 2023 45 vs Prenalen Subrayen Ranchi 2025
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
Most sixes by Kohli in an ODI innings 9 vs WI Trivandrum 2026 * 8 vs SL Trivandrum 2023 7 vs Aus Jaipur 2013 7 vs SA Ranchi 2025
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:33 pm
16:03 GMT, 21:33 IST: A comprehensive win for India. After winning the toss, Gill chose to bowl without hesitation. However, his bowlers did not have an easy start. Both the West Indies openers raised their fifties to forge a 135-run opening stand. Kuldeep Yadav broke the opening stand and took three more wickets, reducing the visitors to 198/5, which also included Greaves' maiden hundred. Amir Jangoo's brisk fifty took his team to 295, which, although it looked decent turned out to be totally inadequate. Rohit and Gill got off the blocks quickly, scoring 70 in the first powerplay. Rohit fell to Alzarri and that brought Gill and Kohli together. The Indian captain got a reprieve on 11 and took full advantage of it as he recorded his seventh 50+ in 9 ODIs this year. He battled cramps to bring up a classy ton. On the other hand, Kohli did Kohli things. Wasted no time to get going, became the second batter to score 15000 ODI runs, didn't spare any WI bowler, notched up his 55th ODI hundred and smashed 9 sixes to ace yet another successful run-chase.
- 41.4IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:31 pm
Keacy Carty to Virat Kohli, SIX, Virat Kohli fittingly finishes things off in style! 130.8kph, short and angling down leg, the right-hander pulls hard and dispatches it over fine leg. Ninth six in the match for Kohli - the most he has hit in an ODI. He's made a mockery of this WI bowling attack. India win by 8 wickets with 50 balls to spare
- 41.3sixIND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:30 pm
Keacy Carty to Virat Kohli, SIX, you just can't bowl there! 122.1kph, a proper hit-me delivery. On a length and angling in towards leg, Kohli brings those trademark wrists into play to whip it away powerfully over deep backward square leg
- 41.2IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:29 pm
Keacy Carty to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 1 run, 123.3kph, shortish ball, turned through midwicket
- 41.1IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:29 pm
Keacy Carty to Virat Kohli, 1 run, goes too hard on the heave and inside-heaves to deep midwicket
- 41.1IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:28 pm
Keacy Carty to Virat Kohli, 3 wides, darts a length ball down leg, even a diving Shai Hope can't stop it cleanly. Gets a hand on it and the batters run two
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:28 pm
Keacy Carty, right-arm medium, comes into the attack
- —IND· 27 Sept 2026, 09:27 pm
42nd century in Internationals across formats for Kohli in India in 260 innings – joint most with Tendulkar (in 313 innings)