India vs West Indies 1st ODI: Kohli-Gill Masterclass Overshadows Greaves Ton as India Begin ODI Campaign in Style

Bhubaneswar: There was a moment when the West Indies appeared to have seized control of India's first ODI of the new home season.

Justin Greaves had produced a maiden ODI century. John Campbell had attacked from the other end. The opening pair had put together 135 runs, and West Indies were threatening to push towards a much bigger total.

Then Kuldeep Yadav changed the rhythm of the afternoon.

And when India began the chase, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill changed the scale of the contest altogether.

India defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday, chasing down 296 with 50 balls to spare. India finished on 300/2 in 41.4 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Greaves gave West Indies the platform, Kuldeep took it away

West Indies' first innings was built around a superb 101 from Justin Greaves.

Greaves and John Campbell added 135 for the opening wicket, with Campbell making 62 from 60 balls. The visitors were 135/0 and appeared set for a substantially larger score.

But Kuldeep Yadav's introduction into the middle overs altered the innings.

The wrist-spinner finished with 4/40 from his 10 overs, accounting for Campbell, Greaves, Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew. Prasidh Krishna contributed 2/60, while Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed one wicket.

West Indies eventually finished at 295/7.

Amir Jangoo's unbeaten 58 off 43 balls, including seven fours and a six, provided the late acceleration that ensured India still had a meaningful chase.

West Indies innings

Batter	Runs	Balls
Justin Greaves	101	108
John Campbell	62	60
Amir Jangoo*	58	43
Roston Chase	24	32
Shai Hope	12	11
Total	295/7	50 overs

India bowling: Kuldeep Yadav 4/40, Prasidh Krishna 2/60, Nitish Kumar Reddy 1/45.

Then came the Kohli-Gill answer

India's response began aggressively.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 74 for the opening wicket, before Alzarri Joseph removed Rohit for 32.

That wicket, however, only brought Virat Kohli to the crease.

What followed was a 151-run partnership between Gill and Kohli that effectively removed the contest from West Indies' reach.

Gill produced his 10th ODI century, scoring 110. Kohli went even further.

The former India captain finished unbeaten on 139 from 88 balls, with 10 fours and nine sixes.

The nine sixes were particularly significant: it was the highest number of sixes Kohli has hit in an ODI innings.

Kohli reaches another landmark

Kohli's innings also carried a major statistical milestone.

During the chase, he became only the second men's batter after Sachin Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs. He subsequently reached his 55th ODI century and his 10th against West Indies.

His hundred came from just 74 balls, adding another layer to what was already an extraordinary chase.

The contrast was striking.

West Indies had needed 50 overs to reach 295.

India needed only 41.4 overs to pass it.

The bigger ODI picture

The result carries significance beyond the series scoreline.

India's ODI campaign is increasingly being viewed through the prism of the 2027 World Cup, with a combination of established stars and players competing for places in the wider squad.

That was visible in Thiruvananthapuram.

Rohit Sharma returned to the ODI side, while Kohli provided the experience around captain Gill. At the same time, India handed an ODI debut to Naman Dhir, while the bowling combination included Kuldeep, Prasidh Krishna and the younger Gurnoor Brar.

The match therefore produced two very different signals for India.

The established core remains capable of dominating a 50-over chase.

But the bowling department still provides the more interesting area for examination, particularly after West Indies' opening assault exposed India's new-ball and early-innings vulnerabilities before Kuldeep restored control.

West Indies' problem was not the first 20 overs

There is an important distinction in the West Indies innings.

Their opening assault was good enough to put pressure on India. Their problem was sustaining that advantage after the opening partnership disappeared.

At 135/0, a significantly higher total appeared possible.

At 176/2, 195/3 and then 198/5, the momentum had shifted decisively.

Kuldeep's spell was therefore more than a four-wicket haul on the scorecard. It was the point at which West Indies lost the opportunity to convert an excellent start into a potentially match-defining total.

India did not need to use the depth

Perhaps the most revealing aspect of India's victory was how little of the batting order was required.

Rohit, Gill and Kohli did almost all the work.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and the lower order were not required to make a meaningful contribution.

That leaves Gill and the team management with an interesting luxury — and a selection challenge — as the series progresses.

The first ODI demonstrated that India's established batting nucleus can still consume a chase at extraordinary speed.

The remaining matches will provide more evidence about how much India's newer options can contribute when the conditions become less comfortable.

Bottom line

West Indies won the first phase of the match. India won the match.

Greaves' 101 and Campbell's 62 gave the visitors an excellent platform, while Kuldeep's four wickets prevented that platform from becoming a massive total.

Then Gill's 110 and Kohli's unbeaten 139 transformed a potentially competitive chase into a remarkably comfortable eight-wicket victory.

For India, the first ODI therefore produced three distinct headlines:

Kuldeep controlled the middle overs. Gill continued his evolution as India's ODI captain-batter. Kohli reminded everyone that his ODI batting remains capable of changing the equation within a few overs.

India now lead the three-match series 1-0, with the second ODI scheduled for September 30 in Guwahati.