Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli (born November 5, 1988) is an Indian international cricketer and former captain of the Indian national cricket team in all three formats. Considered one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket, he is the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and holds the record for most centuries in One Day Internationals (ODIs)1.
Kohli has scored 85 centuries in international cricket across all formats—30 in Test cricket and 54 in ODIs—making him the second-highest century scorer in international cricket, only behind Sachin Tendulkar2. He led India to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, was a member of the 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, and captained India to win the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy3.
Early Life and Domestic Career
Kohli was born on November 5, 1988, in New Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. He grew up in Delhi and was one of the first students to train at the West Delhi Cricket Academy, which was established in 1998. In 2002, he played for the Delhi Under-15 team and was the highest run-scorer in the 2002 Vijay Merchant Trophy2.
He made his domestic debut for Delhi in 2006 and quickly established himself as one of India's most promising young batsmen.
International Career
Early Years (2008-2013)
Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in August 2008. He scored his first ODI century in 2010 against Bangladesh. His career trajectory saw a meteoric rise, and by 2012, he was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year4.
Rise to Stardom (2014-2018)
The year 2016 marked Kohli's peak as he amassed over 2,500 international runs at an extraordinary average of 86.50, including seven centuries and 13 half-centuries from 40 innings. This included his Man of the Tournament performance in the 2016 T20 World Cup4.
In 2018, he became the first Indian batsman to be ranked number one in ICC Test rankings across all three formats. He also led India to its first-ever Test series victory in Australia in 2018-192.
Captaincy (2017-2024)
Kohli was appointed captain of the Indian Test team in 2017 and led India in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them—the most by any Indian Test captain. Under his leadership, India retained the ICC Test Mace for three consecutive years (2018, 2019, 2020)5.
He also captained India in ODIs and T20Is, leading them to win the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy3.
Retirement
In May 2025, Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, finishing with 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries in 123 Tests. He also retired from T20 internationals after the 2024 T20 World Cup victory2.
Indian Premier League
Kohli has played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL since 2008. He is the highest run-scorer in IPL history with over 8,000 runs, including eight centuries and 63 fifties6.
In IPL 2025, RCB won their first IPL title after 18 years, defeating Punjab Kings in the final. This marked a historic moment for Kohli and RCB fans worldwide1.
Career Statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Centuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 123 | 9,230 | 254* | 46.85 | 30 |
| ODI | 311 | 14,797 | 183 | 58.72 | 54 |
| T20I | 125 | 4,188 | 122* | 48.70 | 1 |
| IPL | 252 | 8,661 | 113 | 38.67 | 8 |
Records and Achievements
Kohli holds numerous records across formats:
- Most centuries in ODIs (54)
- Fastest to reach 8,000, 10,000, 12,000, 15,000, and 17,000 ODI runs
- Most runs in a single ODI World Cup (765 in 2023)
- Only player to score 20,000+ international runs at 50+ average
- Most Player of the Tournament awards in ICC tournaments (3)4
Awards and Honors
Kohli has won ten ICC Awards, making him the most awarded player in international cricket history. Major honors include:
- ICC Cricketer of the Year: 2012, 2017, 2018
- ICC Test Cricketer of the Year: 2018
- Arjuna Award: 2013
- Padma Shri: 2017
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna: 2018
- Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 20192
Personal Life
Kohli is married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma. Together, they have one daughter. Off the field, Kohli is known for his disciplined lifestyle and fitness regimen, which has inspired millions of young Indians to prioritize health and fitness2.
He is also involved in charitable work through the Virat Kohli Foundation, which supports underprivileged children and promotes sports development in India.
References
- Virat Kohli - Wikipedia(accessed Apr 18, 2026)
- Virat Kohli - Britannica(accessed Apr 18, 2026)
- Virat Kohli - BCCI(accessed Apr 18, 2026)
- Virat Kohli - Wisden(accessed Apr 18, 2026)
- Virat Kohli Stats - ESPNcricinfo(accessed Apr 18, 2026)
- Virat Kohli Biography - Times of Sports(accessed Apr 18, 2026)