Virat Kohli once again showed his class and put up a brilliant show in the third and deciding ODI of the series in Indore on Sunday. India were handed a target of 338 and the team lost wickets regularly. It was Kohli’s brilliance that kept them in the hunt as he struck a brilliant hundred.
This is Virat’s 85th hundred in international career. With this, he now has struck seventh hundred against New Zealand.
In the list of batters with the most ODI centuries vs New Zealand, Kohli is followed by India’s Virender Sehwag and Australia’s Ricky Ponting. Both Sehwag and Ponting scored six ODI centuries against the Black Caps.
BELIEVE! 🇮🇳#TeamIndia #INDvNZ #3rdODI @IDFCfirstbank pic.twitter.com/iDhHO2Bg7z
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026
The flamboyant right-handed batter has also struck his 27th hundred in India.
CENTURY!
A sensational 54th ODI 💯 from @imVkohli 🫡🫡
He is keeping India’s hopes alive in this chase.#TeamIndia #INDvNZ #3rdODI @IDFCfirstbank pic.twitter.com/LJkhKSpsVR
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026
Apart from him, Nitish Kumar Reddy notched up a fifty while Harshit Rana gave good support from the other end.
India. Chase. Virat Kohli. 👑🐐
Do we need to say more? 🇮🇳🔥
8️⃣5️⃣th international century for the King. 🤌#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/VkLR8TUsdR
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) January 18, 2026
Virat Kohli’s 54th ODI ton keeps India in the hunt in Indore 👊#INDvNZ 📝: https://t.co/MRZ6l9RU7y pic.twitter.com/EvexD3AmZj
— ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2026
The trios batting efforts went in vain as India were bundled out for 296 to lose the match by 41 runs. India lost the series 2-1.
New Zealand register a 41-run victory in the decider and win the series 2-1
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/KR2ertVUf5#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/JuuARZ4y53
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026
Take a bow @imVkohli!
He departs after a fantastic knock of 124 runs.#TeamIndia #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/iade3iJmHJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026
He’s back in the hut, but a valiant knock under pressure by Harshit Rana.
Well played!#TeamIndia #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/b9N1nSPMtL
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026
Earlier, in the day, New Zealand had posted a mammoth 337/8 in 50 overs. Daryl Mitchell continued his dominance against India and got a hundred–second in the series while Glenn Phillips also got a hundred.
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