Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Kohli cracked 131 off 101 balls as Delhi chased down 299 to beat Andhra. The knocks also took him past 16,000 List A runs, making him only the second Indian, after Sachin Tendulkar, to reach that mark. It landed soon after he struck back-to-back ODI centuries for India against South Africa in early December, a run that has made his form impossible to file under “nice but…”

Full ready for World Cup: Rajkumar Sharma

His childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, told ANI the domestic ton was simply the same wave continuing.

“He is very good and is in great form. And he has continued his form. Just like the two hundreds he made for India, he is the continuation of the great batting and has won the match for Delhi. Kaafi Shamay Baad Woh domestic cricket khel rahe hai, he has been playing the most brilliant form ever. (He is in terrific form and has continued it. Just like the two hundred he made for India recently, he carried that momentum today.) too, batted superbly again, and won Delhi the match. After a long time, he returned to domestic cricket and played a truly superb innings,” said Sharma to ANI.

With Virat Kohli largely shaping his workload around 50-over cricket, domestic List A becomes the cleanest place to keep tempo and decision-making sharp between international windows. On this day, he didn’t just score; he scored at a great pace, getting his hundred in just 83 balls and keeping the chase under control once he was set.

Sharma’s bigger claim was about readiness, that Kohli’s consistency still makes him India’s safest bet in a tournament build-up that eventually turns to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Look, he is in great form. He has shown it with hundreds in the first two matches for India. So he is in excellent form. And he is the player who is the most consistent for the Indian team, so in my opinion he is completely prepared for the World Cup. (Look, he is in excellent form. He showed it with hundreds in the two matches for India, so he is in outstanding touch. And he is the The most consistent player for the Indian team, so I feel he is completely ready for the World Cup), said Sharma.

For Delhi, it is two points and a brilliant start to the tournament. For Indian management, it is a clear sign that Kohli is hungry for runs and performance; there is no way they can now ignore his place in the marquee tournament, which is about a year and a half away.