# Virat Kohli surpasses Mohammad Azharuddin's 28-year milestone to create history against West Indies

> Stepping onto the field for the first ODI against the West Indies, Virat Kohli achieved a historic milestone for India. He surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin's 28-year-old record to become the Indian player with the most ODI appearances against the Caribbean side.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-09-27 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/virat-kohli-ne-mohammad-azharuddin-ka-28-saal-purana-record-piche-choda-west-indies-ke-khilaf-racha-naya-itihas-39491 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Virat Kohli, Mohammad Azharuddin, India vs West Indies, ODI Cricket, Shubman Gill

Star Indian batsman Virat Kohli achieved a major milestone as soon as he stepped onto the pitch for the opening match of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. By making his appearance in this fixture, he became the Indian player with the highest number of ODI matches played against the Caribbean team. Through this historic shift, he broke the 28-year-old record held by former captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who had long topped this list. Virat Kohli is now contesting his 44th ODI match against the West Indies, while Mohammad Azharuddin played a total of 43 ODIs against the Caribbean side during his career and now slips to second place following this update.

## The Series Opener at Greenfield International Stadium
The commencement of this ODI series between India and West Indies has taken place at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. When considering the list of players who have represented India in the most ODIs against the West Indies, several legendary names follow Virat Kohli and Mohammad Azharuddin. In this roster, Kapil Dev stands in third position with 42 matches, followed by Rahul Dravid with 40 and MS Dhoni with 39 appearances. It is notable that Mohammad Azharuddin played his final ODI against the West Indies back in October 1998, after which his record remained unbroken for decades.

## An Opportunity to Equal Shivnarine Chanderpaul's Record
During the course of this ongoing series, Virat Kohli has the golden opportunity to equal Shivnarine Chanderpaul's record in terms of most matches played against the West Indies. The record for playing the most ODIs involving India and West Indies matches jointly belongs to Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Shivnarine Chanderpaul took the field in 46 ODI matches between India and the West Indies from 1994 to 2009. If Virat Kohli features in all three ODIs of the current series, he will successfully match this historic record set by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

## The All-Time Record Held by Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram
The absolute all-time record for playing the most ODIs against the West Indies at the international level belongs to former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram. Both Wasim Akram and Javed Miandad played 64 ODIs each against the Caribbean side during their illustrious careers, standing as a unique benchmark. While these Pakistani legends hold the very top spot for appearances against the West Indies, Indian players led by Virat Kohli continue to establish new milestones.

## Captain Shubman Gill Wins the Toss and Opts to Field
Discussing the start of the match itself, India's captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first in this opening ODI in Thiruvananthapuram. Alongside this series against the West Indies, the Indian team has also officially launched its campaign for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027. The team management and players remain focused on delivering strong performances throughout this series to solidify their preparations for the global tournament.

## What this means for you
This series holds immense significance for Indian cricket enthusiasts as the team kicks off its preparations for the upcoming World Cup.

- **Match in Thiruvananthapuram:** Local spectators have received the opportunity to witness an international fixture live.
- **World Cup Campaign:** The team management is sharpening its strategy for the 2027 World Cup through this series.
- **Player Performances:** Both young and experienced players have a golden chance to prove their utility.
- **Milestone Shifts:** New figures are being added to the history of Indian cricket, sparking discussions among fans.

## Why this happened
This historic milestone is the result of players maintaining long and consistent international careers.

- **Extended Career:** Virat Kohli has achieved this landmark through years of consistent stellar performance.
- **Longstanding Record:** Mohammad Azharuddin's record remained secure for 28 years before being broken.
- **Bilateral Fixtures:** Frequent series between India and West Indies have made these statistics possible.
- **Selection and Toss:** Captain Shubman Gill won the toss at the start of the match and chose to bowl according to conditions.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Whose record did Virat Kohli break?
Virat Kohli broke Mohammad Azharuddin's 28-year-old record.

### 2. Which ODI is Virat playing against the West Indies?
Virat is playing his 44th ODI match against the West Indies.

### 3. Where is the match taking place?
This fixture is taking place at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

### 4. Who is the captain of the Indian team?
Shubman Gill is captaining the Indian team in this match.

### 5. Who holds the record for most ODIs against the West Indies?
Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram hold the record of playing 64 ODIs each against the West Indies.

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