Virat Kohli
 Virat Kohli in 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 5 November 1988 Delhi, India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Top-order batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations |
Anushka Sharma (m. 2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | VK Foundation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 269) | 20 June 2011 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 3 January 2025 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 175) | 18 August 2008 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 9 March 2025 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 31) | 12 June 2010 v Zimbabwe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 29 June 2024 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–present | Delhi cricket team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–present | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Virat Kohli, born on 5 November 1988, is a legendary Indian cricketer known for his incredible batting skills and leadership. A former captain in all formats of the game[1], Kohli currently plays One Day Internationals (ODIs) for the Indian team. Nicknamed "The King," "The Chase Master," and "Run Machine," he is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-format batsmen in cricket history.[2]
Kohli holds numerous records he’s the top run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and ranks third in run-scoring in T20Is, ODIs, and overall international cricket. He has scored the most centuries in ODIs[3] and is second only to Sachin Tendulkar in total international centuries. As a Test captain, he led India to historic success, including back-to-back ICC Test mace wins, and remains the country's most successful captain in that format. He's also the only batter to ever reach 900 ICC rating points in all three formats.[4]
His journey began with leading India to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup. He later played key roles in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup win, 2013 Champions Trophy win, and the recent triumphs in the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy. Domestically, he plays for Delhi and represents Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.
Kohli reached the No. 1 ranking in ODIs in 2013, T20Is in 2015, and Tests in 2018 making him the only Indian to top all three formats. He was the first cricketer to score 20,000 international runs in a single decade (2011–2020) and was named Cricketer of the Decade for that period.[5]
He has won a record ten ICC awards, including four ODI Player of the Year titles (2012, 2017, 2018, 2023) and the Cricketer of the Year award twice. In 2018, he made history by winning all three major ICC awards in the same year. He also received the Spirit of Cricket Award in 2019, and both the Cricketer and ODI Cricketer of the Decade awards in 2020. Wisden named him the Leading Cricketer in the World for three years in a row.[6]
Kohli has earned the most Player of the Series awards and ranks second for most Player of the Match awards across formats. His contributions to Indian sports have been recognized with the Arjuna Award (2013), the Padma Shri (2017), and the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2018). In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
After leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup where he was named Player of the Match in the final Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is. He later retired from Test cricket on 12 May 2025, at the age of 36. Off the field, he is married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, and the couple has two children.[7]
Early Life
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. His mother, Saroj Kohli, is a homemaker, while his father, Prem Nath Kohli, was a criminal lawyer. He grew up alongside his elder brother Vikas Kohli and sister Bhawna Kohli in the Uttam Nagar area of Delhi.[8] Kohli showed a passion for cricket from a very young age according to his family, he was just three years old when he started holding a bat and asking his father to bowl to him.[9]
In 1998, the West Delhi Cricket Academy was established, and by May of that year, Kohli’s father took him to coach Rajkumar Sharma for professional training. Neighbours had noticed Virat’s talent and urged his family to give him proper cricket coaching beyond just street games. Though he was initially overlooked for the Delhi Under-14 team due to politics and favoritism, his father refused to use influence to secure his spot and stayed true to merit.[10]
Eventually, Kohli earned a place in the Delhi Under-15 team. He trained rigorously at the West Delhi Cricket Academy and also played matches at the Sumeet Dogra Academy in Vasundhara Enclave. To better balance academics and cricket, he later switched to Saviour Convent School in ninth grade.
A major turning point in Kohli’s life came on 18 December 2006, when his father passed away from a stroke. This tragic event deeply affected him. According to his mother, it made him more mature and serious about cricket. From then on, Kohli devoted himself completely to the sport, putting in long hours of hard work. The family lived in Meera Bagh, Paschim Vihar, until they moved to Gurgaon in 2015.[11]
Career statistics
International record
| Representing India | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Innings | Runs | HS | 50s | 100s | Avg | SR | |||
| 2008 | 5 | 159 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 31.80 | 66.52 | |||
| 2009 | 8 | 325 | 107 | 2 | 1 | 54.16 | 84.41 | |||
| 2010 | 25 | 1021 | 118 | 7 | 3 | 48.61 | 85.79 | |||
| 2011 | 47 | 1644 | 117 | 10 | 4 | 39.14 | 76.85 | |||
| 2012 | 46 | 2186 | 183 | 10 | 8 | 53.31 | 74.78 | |||
| 2013 | 43 | 1913 | 119 | 10 | 6 | 53.13 | 78.11 | |||
| 2014 | 47 | 2286 | 169 | 12 | 8 | 55.75 | 83.27 | |||
| 2015 | 37 | 1307 | 147 | 3 | 4 | 38.44 | 65.84 | |||
| 2016 | 41 | 2595 | 235 | 13 | 7 | 86.50 | 80.91 | |||
| 2017 | 52 | 2818 | 243 | 10 | 11 | 68.73 | 92.15 | |||
| 2018 | 47 | 2735 | 160* | 9 | 11 | 68.37 | 72.39 | |||
| 2019 | 46 | 2455 | 254* | 14 | 7 | 64.60 | 90.55 | |||
| 2020 | 24 | 842 | 89 | 7 | 0 | 36.60 | 87.89 | |||
| 2021 | 30 | 964 | 80* | 10 | 0 | 37.07 | 60.62 | |||
| 2022 | 42 | 1348 | 122* | 11 | 2 | 38.51 | 85.10 | |||
| 2023 | 36 | 2048 | 186 | 10 | 8 | 66.06 | 78.31 | |||
| 2024 | 32 | 655 | 100* | 2 | 1 | 21.83 | 73.34 | |||
| 2025 | 9 | 298 | 100* | 2 | 1 | 37.25 | 73.21 | |||
| Total | 617 | 27599 | 254* | 143 | 82 | 52.27 | 79.18 | |||
Franchise record
| Virat Kohli in Indian Premier League | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru | |||||||||
| Year | Innings | Runs | Avg | SR | HS | 50s | 100s | 4s | 6s |
| 2008 | 12 | 165 | 15.0 | 105.1 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 |
| 2009 | 13 | 246 | 22.4 | 112.3 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
| 2010 | 13 | 307 | 27.9 | 144.8 | 58 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 12 |
| 2011 | 16 | 557 | 46.4 | 121.1 | 71 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 16 |
| 2012 | 15 | 364 | 28.0 | 111.7 | 73 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 10 |
| 2013 | 16 | 634 | 45.3 | 138.7 | 99 | 6 | 0 | 64 | 22 |
| 2014 | 14 | 359 | 27.6 | 122.1 | 73 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 16 |
| 2015 | 16 | 505 | 45.9 | 130.8 | 82 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 23 |
| 2016 | 16 | 973 | 81.1 | 152.0 | 113 | 7 | 4 | 84 | 38 |
| 2017 | 10 | 308 | 30.8 | 122.2 | 64 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 11 |
| 2018 | 14 | 530 | 48.2 | 139.1 | 92* | 4 | 0 | 52 | 18 |
| 2019 | 14 | 464 | 33.1 | 141.5 | 100 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 13 |
| 2020 | 15 | 466 | 42.4 | 121.4 | 90* | 3 | 0 | 23 | 11 |
| 2021 | 15 | 405 | 28.9 | 119.5 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 9 |
| 2022 | 16 | 341 | 22.7 | 116.0 | 73 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 8 |
| 2023 | 14 | 639 | 53.2 | 139.8 | 101 | 6 | 2 | 65 | 16 |
| 2024 | 15 | 741 | 61.8 | 154.7 | 113* | 5 | 1 | 62 | 38 |
| 2025 | 12 | 548 | 60.88 | 145.35 | 73* | 7 | 0 | 51 | 19 |
| Total | 256 | 8552 | 39.59 | 132.75 | 113* | 62 | 8 | 756 | 291 |
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Fours | Most Sixes | ||
| Most Centuries | Most Valuable Player | ||
| Most 50s | Orange Cap | ||
List of records
All-format records
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| Second most hundreds in international cricket | 82 centuries |
| Third most runs in international cricket | 27,599 runs |
| Most runs in a calendar year for India | 2818 runs in 2017 |
ODI records
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| Most centuries in the world | 51 centuries |
| Most centuries in India | 22 centuries |
| Most centuries during chasing | 28 centuries |
| Most runs during single edition of World Cup | 765 runs in 2023 |
| Highest peak rating in men's player rankings by an Indian | 911 points in 2018 |
| Fastest to 8,000 runs | 175 innings |
| Fastest to 9,000 runs | 194 innings |
| Fastest to 10,000 runs | 205 innings |
| Fastest to 11,000 runs | 222 innings |
| Fastest to 12,000 runs | 242 innings |
| Fastest to 13,000 runs | 267 innings |
| Fastest to 14,000 runs | 287 innings |
Test records
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| Most runs as a captain for India | 5864 runs |
| Most wins as a captain for India | 40 wins of 68 matches |
| Most double centuries by a captain | 7 double centuries |
| Most double centuries by an Indian | |
| Most double centuries in two consecutive years | 3 double centuries in 2016–2017 |
| Highest peak rating in men's rankings for an Indian | 937 points in 2018 |
| First Asian captain to win a series in Australia | BGT 2018–2019 |
T20I records
| Record | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Highest batting average with more than 100 innings | 48.69 average | |
| Most runs in a single edition of World Cup | 319 runs in 2014 | |
| 4th highest peak rating in men's rankings | 897 points in 2014 | |
| Fastest to 3,000 runs | 81 innings | |
| Fastest to 3,500 runs | 96 innings | |
| Fastest to 4,000 runs | 107 innings | |
| Second most Player of the Match awards | 16 wins | |
| Most Player of the Series awards | 7 wins |
IPL records
| Record | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Most runs in Indian Premier League | 8,552 runs | |
| Most runs as a captain | 4994 runs | |
| Most runs in a single season | 973 runs in 2016 | |
| Most centuries | 8 centuries | |
| Most half-centuries | 62 half-centuries | |
| Most 50+ scores | 70 | |
| Most centuries in a single season | 4 centuries | |
| Most catches | 114 catches | |
| Most runs in successful chases | 2205 runs | |
| Most 500+ scoring seasons in the league | 8 | |
| Only player to score 1,000 runs against 4 teams | Delhi Capitals Chennai Super Kings Punjab Kings Kolkata Knight Riders |
|
| Most runs against Chennai Super Kings | 1,146 runs | |
| Most runs against Delhi Capitals | 1,130 runs | |
| Most runs against Rajasthan Royals | 896 runs | |
| Most runs against Gujarat Titans | 356 runs | |
| Most runs against Rising Pune Supergiant | 271 runs | |
| Only player with 1000+ boundaries in the league | 1047* boundaries | |
| Most player of the match awards won by an Indian | 19 POTMs | |
| Only player to be involved in three double-century plus stands | Twice with AB de Villiers, once with Chris Gayle |
Reference
- ↑ https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/team/individual-most-matches-as-captain/india-6/test-matches-1
- ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/champions-trophy-cricket-shoaib-akhtar-ind-vs-pak-virat-kohli-india-vs-pakistan-2684402-2025-02-24
- ↑ https://www.dawn.com/news/1669607
- ↑ https://www.relianceiccrankings.com/alltime/t20/batting/
- ↑ https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3262807/kohli-overtakes-finch-into-no1-t20-ranking
- ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/icc-awards-2020-virat-kohli-wins-cricketer-of-decade-award-ms-dhoni-picks-spirit-of-cricket-award-7123278/
- ↑ https://cricket.one/entertainment/virushka-special-7-moments-which-define-virat-kohli-and-anushka-are-true-soulmates/67595940703dbcd7d84a2fd2
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120323135819/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110307/jsp/sports/story_13677586.jsp
- ↑ http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/877745/this-is-virat
- ↑ https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/962035183
- ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/icc-world-cup-2015/top-stories/Virat-changed-after-his-dads-death-Mother/articleshow/2835049.cms