The excitement is building around the first ODI between India and the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram. The match is set to bring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli together on the ODI stage, and the duo has a major milestone within touching distance.

If Rohit and Virat manage to add just 18 runs to their partnership against the West Indies, they could create a record that no batting pair in the world has achieved before.

Rohit-Virat can create history

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are on the verge of becoming the first batting pair in world cricket to score 1,000 ODI runs together against the West Indies.

So far, 23 batting pairs have managed to cross the 1,000-run mark against an individual opposition in ODIs. However, no pair has yet achieved this milestone against the West Indies.

Rohit and Virat could change that in the very first ODI of the series.

Only 18 runs needed

Rohit and Virat have played 15 ODI matches together against the West Indies and have accumulated 982 runs as a pair at an average of more than 70.

Their partnership record includes four century stands and two half-century partnerships. Their highest partnership against the West Indies is an impressive 246 runs.

That means the Indian duo needs only 18 more runs in a partnership to reach the historic 1,000-run mark.

If they put together an 18-run partnership in Thiruvananthapuram, Rohit and Virat will become the first pair in ODI history to score 1,000 runs together against the West Indies.

Virat already dominates the individual record

Virat Kohli has also enjoyed tremendous success against the West Indies in ODIs. He has scored 2,261 runs in 41 innings against them at an outstanding average of 66.50.

His record includes nine ODI centuries against the Caribbean side.

Kohli has already moved past Pakistan's legendary Javed Miandad to become the highest run-scorer against the West Indies in ODI cricket.

Rohit can leave another Pakistani legend behind

Rohit Sharma is also closing in on a major individual milestone.

The Indian opener has scored 1,613 runs in 35 ODI innings against the West Indies at an average of 57.60, including three centuries.

He is currently just 12 runs behind Pakistan legend Rameez Raja on the list of the highest run-scorers against the West Indies.

A 13-run knock would be enough for Rohit to move ahead of Rameez Raja.

And if Rohit manages to score a century, he could climb to third place among the highest individual run-scorers against the West Indies.

History awaits the Indian duo

The first ODI could therefore be significant for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While Rohit has the opportunity to move ahead of Rameez Raja, the bigger milestone is waiting for the pair.

Just 18 partnership runs separate Rohit and Virat from becoming the first batting duo in the world to complete 1,000 ODI runs together against the West Indies.

All eyes will now be on the Indian legends when they walk out together in Thiruvananthapuram.