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Full nameVirat Kohli
NationalityIndia
Other nameKing
RoleTop-order batter • India
Date of birth1988-11-05
BirthplaceDelhi
Batting styleRight Hand Bat
Bowling styleRight Arm Medium

Teams

IndiaDelhiRCB

About

Virat Kohli is one of the greatest modern-era cricketers and a global icon of the sport. Born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi, India, Kohli has represented the Indian national cricket team as a right-handed top-order batter and occasional right-arm medium bowler. Known for his exceptional batting technique, unmatched fitness standards, aggressive mindset, and ability to perform under pressure, Kohli has transformed himself from a talented Delhi youngster into one of cricket’s most celebrated superstars.

Often regarded as one of the finest run-chasers in ODI history, Kohli has built a legendary career through consistency across formats. His hunger for runs, emotional intensity on the field, and ability to dominate world-class bowling attacks have earned him comparisons with some of the greatest batters in cricket history.

From leading India to the 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup title to becoming India’s Test captain and achieving historic overseas victories, Kohli’s journey represents determination, discipline, and continuous evolution. He holds numerous international records, including one of the fastest players to reach major ODI run milestones and the record for the most centuries in ODI cricket.

Beyond statistics, Kohli’s influence extends beyond cricket. His fitness revolution, professionalism, and competitive spirit have inspired a new generation of athletes in India and around the world.

Early Life & Struggles

Childhood and Family Background

Virat Kohli was born into a Punjabi family in Delhi. His father, Prem Kohli, worked as a criminal lawyer, while his mother, Saroj Kohli, managed the household. He grew up with his elder brother Vikas and elder sister Bhavna.

From a very young age, Kohli showed an extraordinary interest in cricket. According to his family, he would pick up a bat before toys and spend hours playing cricket in the streets of Delhi.

His father played an important role in supporting his cricket dreams. At the age of nine, Kohli joined the West Delhi Cricket Academy, where he trained under coach Rajkumar Sharma.Kohli’s childhood was not without challenges. Unlike many young cricketers who move smoothly through development systems, he had to fight for recognition in Delhi’s highly competitive cricket environment.

One of the most emotional moments of his early life came in December 2006, when his father passed away due to a brain stroke. At that time, Kohli was only 18 years old and playing a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Karnataka.

The following morning, instead of staying away from cricket, Kohli returned to complete the match. He scored a crucial 90 runs for Delhi before attending his father’s funeral.

That incident became one of the defining moments of his career and demonstrated his mental strength and commitment to cricket.

Career Turning Point

1. 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup Triumph

The first major turning point came when Kohli captained India Under-19 to World Cup glory.

His leadership skills and batting performances helped him enter the national selection radar.

2. ODI Debut in 2008

Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka at just 19 years old.

The early years were challenging, but he showed remarkable improvement and became a permanent member of India’s limited-overs squad.

3. Maiden ODI Century Against Sri Lanka (2010)

Kohli scored his first ODI hundred against Sri Lanka in Kolkata.

This innings proved he could convert starts into match-winning performances.

4. 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Victory

Kohli became part of India’s World Cup-winning squad.

He scored a century against Bangladesh in the opening match of the tournament.

At 22 years old, he became the first Indian to score a World Cup century on debut.

5. 2012 Asia Cup Century Against Pakistan

One of Kohli’s most memorable ODI innings came against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup.

He scored:

183 runs from 148 balls

This remains one of the greatest ODI innings ever played against Pakistan.

6. Becoming Test Captain in 2014

The responsibility of Test captaincy transformed Kohli.

He became more focused on fitness, leadership, and building a strong Indian Test team.

7. 2022 T20 World Cup Masterclass Against Pakistan

After a difficult period without an international century, Kohli produced one of his greatest innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

His unbeaten 82 helped India defeat Pakistan in a dramatic match.

Interesting Facts

🔥 Fact 1:

Virat Kohli scored 90 runs for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match immediately after his father’s death, showing extraordinary mental strength at only 18 years old.

🔥 Fact 2:

Kohli became the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia when India defeated Australia 2-1 in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

🔥 Fact 3:

He was the captain of India’s 2008 Under-19 World Cup-winning team, a squad that produced several future international players.

🔥 Fact 4:

Kohli is the only player to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award three times (as of available records).

🔥 Fact 5:

He became the first player to score 50 ODI centuries, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record during the 2023 World Cup semi-final.

🔥 Fact 6:

Kohli has scored ODI centuries in multiple countries, including difficult overseas venues such as Australia, South Africa, England, and New Zealand.

🔥 Fact 7:

He holds one of the best ODI chase records in cricket history, with numerous successful innings while pursuing targets.

🔥 Fact 8:

Kohli changed Indian cricket’s fitness culture by introducing a stronger focus on athletic preparation, diet discipline, and professional training methods.

🔥 Fact 9:

His unbeaten 82 against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup is widely considered one of the greatest T20 innings ever played.

🔥 Fact 10:

Kohli became the fastest player to reach several ODI run milestones, regularly surpassing previous records held by legendary batters.

ODI Records

Holds the record for the most ODI centuries in international cricket history (50).

Became the fastest player to reach several ODI run milestones, including:

(8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000 ,13,000 runs

Scored the highest individual ODI score by an Indian against Pakistan — 183 runs in the 2012 Asia Cup.

One of the fastest players to reach 10,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in fewer innings than most previous legends.

Holds one of the greatest ODI chasing records, with dozens of successful match-winning innings while batting second.

Test Records

One of India's most successful Test captains.

Led India to its first-ever Test series victory in Australia.

Scored seven double centuries as Test captain, among the highest by any captain in Test cricket.

Helped India become the No.1 ranked Test team in the world.

T20 International Records

Among the highest run-scorers in ICC Men's T20 World Cup history.

Multiple-time winner of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award.

Known for producing some of the greatest pressure innings in T20 World Cup history.

One of the first batters to dominate T20 cricket through consistency rather than only power hitting.

Debut Matches

Test matchesOpponent: West Indies Venue: Kingston, Jamaica Date: June 2011
ODI matchesOpponent: Sri Lanka Venue: Dambulla, Sri Lanka Date: August 2008
T20I matchesOpponent: Zimbabwe Year: 2010
First-class matchesDelhi vs Tamil Nadu at Delhi - November 23 - 26, 2006
List A matchesDelhi vs Services at Delhi - February 18, 2006
T20 matchesDelhi vs Himachal at Delhi - April 03, 2007