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Virat Kohli

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Virat Kohli is a legendary Indian international cricketer.

He is widely considered one of the greatest all-format batsmen in the history of the sport. As a right-handed batter, he specializes in scoring large amounts of runs. He also serves as an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler. Kohli is famous for his exceptional batting skills and his leadership. He has led the Indian national cricket team as captain across all three major formats. His ability to guide his teammates to victory has made him a global icon in the sporting world.

Kohli's career is defined by incredible statistical achievements and technical mastery. He holds the record for the most centuries in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Across all international formats, he has amassed a total of 85 centuries. He is also the leading run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Notably, he is the only batter to earn over 900 rating points in all three formats. He was also the first player to reach the milestone of 20,000 runs within a single decade. These numbers highlight his consistency and dominance over many years.

His journey began in New Delhi within a Punjabi Hindu family.

Virat Kohli Signature
Virat Kohli Signature

Kohli showed an affinity for cricket at just three years old. He would often ask his father, Prem Nath Kohli, to bowl to him. His father helped him move beyond street cricket to professional training. A major turning point occurred on 18 December 2006. His father passed away due to a cerebral attack. Despite this profound loss, Kohli showed immense determination. He returned to a first-class match against Karnataka to score 90 runs. This moment demonstrated the temperament that would define his professional life.

Kohli rose to prominence through successful youth competitions. In 2008, he captained the India Under-19 team to victory in the U-19 World Cup in Malaysia. During that tournament, he scored a century against the West Indies. This performance was described as the innings of the tournament.

WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999

He also received the Border–Gavaskar scholarship to train in Australia. This opportunity allowed him to hone his skills at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. His success in the youth ranks led to a surprise call-up to the senior ODI squad in August 2008. He quickly proved his worth against high-level bowling attacks.

As a senior player, Kohli achieved unprecedented rankings. In 2013, he was ranked the number one ODI batter. He reached the top spot in T20Is in 2015. By 2018, he was ranked number one in Test cricket. This made him the only Indian player to hold the number one position in all three formats.

Virat Kohli ODI Graph
Virat Kohli ODI Graph

His leadership in Test cricket was also highly successful. He is India's most successful Test captain, securing the most wins and three consecutive Test mace retainments. He played for Delhi in domestic cricket and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.

His trophy cabinet is among the most decorated in cricket history.

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Shri Virat Kohli, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 30, 2017
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Shri Virat Kohli, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 30, 2017

Kohli has won ten ICC Awards, the most for any international player. In 2018, he became the first player to win the Cricketer of the Year, ODI Player of the Year, and Test Player of the Year in a single year. He was also named the Cricketer of the Decade for 2011 to 2020. In India, he received the Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri, and the Khel Ratna Award.

Padma Shri Ribbon
Padma Shri Ribbon

These honors reflect his massive impact on the sport.

Beyond the pitch, Kohli is a significant cultural and commercial figure. In 2018, Time magazine included him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is also recognized as a highly commercially viable athlete. In 2022, his estimated earnings reached ₹634 crore, which is approximately US$75 million.

Virat Kohli with AudiQ7
Virat Kohli with AudiQ7

After winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, he announced his retirement from T20Is. On 12 May 2025, at age 36, he announced his retirement from the Test format. He is married to actress Anushka Sharma, and they have two children, Vamika and Akaay Kohli.

Virat Kohali and Anushka Sharma at Mumbai reception
Virat Kohali and Anushka Sharma at Mumbai reception
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🖼️ Images & Media (25)
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Flag of Australia (converted).svg
File:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg
File:Flag of Afghanistan (2013–2021).svg
Flag of Afghanistan (2013–2021).svg
File:Flag of Pakistan.svg
Flag of Pakistan.svg
File:Flag of South Africa.svg
Flag of South Africa.svg
File:Virat Kohli Signature.svg
Virat Kohli Signature.svg
File:WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg
File:Padma Shri Ribbon.svg
Padma Shri Ribbon.svg
File:The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Shri Virat Kohli, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 30, 2017.jpg
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee...
File:The Captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Virat Kohli calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on December 20, 2017.jpg
The Captain of the Indian Cricket Team,...
File:Virat Kohli's bat at Blades of Glory Cricket Museum, Pune.jpg
Virat Kohli's bat at Blades of Glory...
File:Virat Kohli ODI Graph.png
Virat Kohli ODI Graph.png

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