India captain Shubman Gill said the team is happy to give Virat Kohli complete freedom with his batting after the veteran produced a match-winning century against West Indies in the first ODI. Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 off 88 balls as India chased down a target of 296 in just 41.4 overs on Sunday. His innings included 10 fours and nine sixes, continuing a strong run of form as India begin preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Gill said Kohli's record and experience give India enough confidence to allow him to choose his approach at the crease. Kohli's century was his fourth in his last 11 ODI innings and came after he had spoken about deliberately adding greater aggression to his batting. “Someone like him, who has won so many games for the country. Who has done it over and over again, you just let him play however he wants to play on the day,” Gill said after India's victory. He added that Kohli's ability to play in that manner can help India win matches.

Kohli reached his half-century from 40 balls before accelerating sharply during the second half of his innings. He shared a 151-run partnership with Gill, who scored 110 from 108 balls, to put India firmly in control of the chase. Kohli said he has been motivated by the challenge of developing another version of his batting at this stage of his career. He also attributed his attacking approach to a combination of a free mindset and physical preparation, saying fitness allows him to visualise and execute the game in the manner he wants.

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The innings also brought several significant milestones for Kohli. He became only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach 15,000 ODI runs and reached the landmark in 303 innings, the fastest to do so. He moved past Tendulkar for the most ODI runs scored in India, taking his tally to 7,006 runs in 131 matches at an average of 63.69. Kohli also reached 200 ODI sixes and equalled Tendulkar's record of 60 List A centuries. His century was his 25th in a successful ODI chase and his 10th against West Indies, matching his record for centuries against a single opponent.

Gill, however, said India's World Cup preparations will involve more than the performances of their established top-order batters. He wants the team to develop combinations that provide batting depth, ideally giving India an eighth genuine batting option. Gill said such a player could contribute around 25 to 30 runs and provide additional security in situations where the top order does not convert a strong start into a big total. India are expected to use their upcoming matches to assess different combinations before settling on their preferred squad for the World Cup.

For now, Gill is content to allow Kohli to continue playing with the freedom that has produced his recent performances. India still have more than a year to prepare for the 2027 World Cup and several positions in the playing XI will need to be assessed during that period. Kohli's ability to combine experience with an increasingly aggressive approach has given the team another option at the top of the order. Gill's message after the first ODI was clear: when Kohli is in control of his game, India are prepared to let him decide how he wants to play.

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