Indian batting star Virat Kohli has revealed that he has promised himself to play with greater freedom and take more risks as he adapts to the changing demands of modern-day cricket.

Kohli opened up about his approach ahead of India’s first ODI against the West Indies on Sunday. Speaking to JioStar, the former India captain said he no longer wants to be weighed down by expectations about his role in the team.

Kohli wants to play with greater freedom

For a long time, Kohli’s role was to steady the innings and guide the team through difficult phases. However, the 37-year-old feels he now needs to give himself more freedom to express his natural game.

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Kohli has been one of the most consistent batters in ODI cricket. He has played 314 matches, scoring 14,941 runs in 302 innings at an average of 58.59.

The right-hander has 54 ODI centuries and 79 fifties to his name, with a highest score of 183. He has also maintained a strike rate of 93.95 in the format.

‘I’ve been given a role’

Kohli admitted that he has always had the ability to play attacking cricket, but match situations have often forced him to take a more careful approach.

The former India captain said he is now looking to find the right balance between building an innings and taking calculated risks.

Kohli eyes bigger ODI totals

Kohli also pointed towards the changing nature of ODI cricket, with teams increasingly aiming for scores in the 300-plus range.

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He said he is prepared to take more risks when the conditions are favourable, particularly with teams now targeting totals of 340-350 and beyond.

Faith in teammates has helped Kohli

Kohli also explained that greater trust in the players around him has helped him play more freely.

He said he no longer worries as much about what could happen to the team if he gets out, allowing him to focus more on expressing himself at the crease.

India begin 2027 World Cup preparations

India’s focus now shifts to 50-over cricket, with the three-match ODI series against the West Indies part of their preparations for the 2027 World Cup.

After the West Indies series, India are scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka later this year. They will then face Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series at the start of 2027.

IND vs WI ODI Series schedule

No.

DAY

Date

Time

Match

Venue

1

Sun

27-Sep-26

2:00 PM

1st ODI

Trivandrum

2

Wed

30-Sep-26

2:00 PM

2nd ODI

Guwahati

3

Sat

03-Oct-26

2:00 PM

3rd ODI

New Chandigarh

IND vs WI ODI Squads

India’s ODI squad: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul [VC], Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.

West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales.