Virat Kohli Cricketer/Influencer
Virat Kohli (Hindi pronunciation: [ʋɪˈɾaːʈᵊ ˈkoːɦᵊliː], born 5 November 1988) is an Indian international cricketer and the former captain of the Indian national cricket team. He is a right-handed batsman and an occasional medium-pace bowler. He currently represents Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and Delhi in domestic cricket. Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest limited overs batters of all time.
He also holds the record for scoring the most centuries in ODI cricket and stands second in the list of most international centuries scored.
PM meets the Players of T 20 World Cup winning team at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi on July 04, 2024.
He is also the highest run-scorer in the IPL. Kohli was a member of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, 2024 T20 World Cup, and 2025 Champions Trophy. He further captained India to win the ICC Test mace three consecutive times in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
In 2013, Virat Kohli was ranked number one in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen. In 2015, he achieved the summit of T20I rankings. In 2020, he was named the male cricketer of the decade by the International Cricket Council.
Kohli has received many accolades for his performances in cricket. He won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award four times in 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2023. He also won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, given to the ICC Cricketer of the Year, on two occasions, in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, he became the first player to win both ICC ODI and Test Player of the Year awards in the same year.
He was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for three consecutive years, from 2016 to 2018. At the national level, Kohli was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Padma Shri in 2017, and India’s highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna award, in 2018.
In 2018, Time magazine included him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kohli has been deemed one of the most commercially viable athletes, with estimated earnings of ₹634 crore (US$75 million) in 2022.
Early life
Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. His mother Saroj Kohli is a housewife while his father Prem Nath Kohli worked as a criminal lawyer. He has an elder brother Vikas and an elder sister Bhawna. His formative years were spent in Uttam Nagar. His early education was at Vishal Bharti Public School. As per his family, Kohli exhibited an early affinity for cricket as a 3-year-old. He would pick up a bat and request his father to bowl to him. In 1998, the West Delhi Cricket Academy was created. In May, his father arranged for him to meet Rajkumar Sharma.
Upon the suggestion of their neighbours, Kohli’s father considered enrolling his son in a professional cricket academy, as they believed his ability merited more than gully cricket. He was unable to secure a place in the U-14 Delhi team due to extraneous factors. His father reportedly received offers to relocate his son to influential clubs, which would ensure his selection, but he declined the proposals. Kohli eventually found his way into the U-15 team.
He received training at the academy and participated in matches at the Sumeet Dogra Academy located at Vasundhara Enclave. In pursuit of furthering his cricketing career, he transferred to Saviour Convent School during his ninth-grade education. On 18 December 2006, his father died due to a cerebral attack. As per his mother, Kohli’s demeanour shifted noticeably after his father’s death. He took on cricket with newfound seriousness, prioritizing playing time and dedicating himself fully to the sport. Kohli’s family resided in Meera Bagh, Paschim Vihar until 2015, after which they relocated to Gurgaon.
Youth career
Delhi team
Kohli’s junior cricket career kicked off in October 2002 at the Luhnu Cricket Ground against Himachal Pradesh. His first half-century in domestic cricket happened at Feroze Shah Kotla, where he scored 70 runs against Haryana. By the end of the season, he had amassed a total of 172 runs, emerging as the highest run-scorer for his side with an average of 34.40. During the 2003–04 season of Polly Umrigar Trophy, Kohli was appointed the captain of the U-15 team. He scored 54 runs in Delhi’s victory over Himachal Pradesh. In the next fixture against Jammu and Kashmir, Kohli scored his maiden century with a score of 119. By the end of the season, he had a total of 390 runs at an average of 78, which included two centuries.
Towards the end of 2004, Kohli earned selection for the 2004–05 Vijay Merchant Trophy with the Delhi U-17 team. In the four matches that he played, Kohli had a total of 470 runs, with his highest score being 251* runs. The team’s coach, Ajit Chaudhary, lauded his performance and was particularly impressed with his temperament on the field.
He commenced the 2005–06 season with a score of 227 against Punjab. Following their victory over Uttar Pradesh in the quarter-finals, Delhi was scheduled to play against Baroda in the semi-finals. The team had high expectations from Kohli, who had promised his coach to finish the job. True to his word, Kohli went on to score 228 runs, leading Delhi to victory. The team later secured the tournament with a five-wicket win over Mumbai, where he contributed with a half-century in the first innings. He ended as the highest run-scorer with a total of 757 runs from 7 matches, averaging 84.11.
On 18 February 2006, Kohli made his debut in List A cricket, playing against Services in the Ranji One-Day Trophy, but he did not get the opportunity to bat during the match. In 2006, Kohli got a spot in the state senior team. Subsequently, he made his first-class debut on 23 November 2006, during the opening match of the Ranji Trophy season against Tamil Nadu.
However, his debut innings was a brief one, as he was dismissed after scoring ten runs. In the subsequent match against former champions Karnataka, Delhi found themselves trailing with a score of 130/5, with Kohli remaining unbeaten on 40 at the end of the day’s play. That night, Kohli’s father died.
Despite the heart-wrenching news, Kohli returned to the match and continued to bat, scoring 90 runs before he was dismissed.
India U19 team
In July 2006, Kohli was selected in the India Under-19 squad on its tour of England. He averaged 105 in the three-match ODI series against England Under-19s, while also averaging 49 in the three-match Test series. Following India U-19 success in both the ODI and Test series, the team’s coach noted Kohli’s adeptness in facing both pace and spin bowling and expressed his admiration for his technical prowess.
In September, the U-19 team toured Pakistan. In the first Test match, Kohli scored 63 and 28 as India won by 271 runs against Pakistan Under-19s.
He contributed 83 runs to India’s victory by 240 runs and an innings. He concluded the tour with 80 runs in the final ODI game at Lahore. In early 2007, Kohli was a part of the India U-19 team that toured New Zealand, where he scored 113 in the first Test match. The series ended in a draw.
In the following month, the team travelled to Malaysia for a tri-series against England Under-19s and Sri Lanka Under-19s, where Kohli did not get many opportunities to bat. In July–August, India U-19 embarked on a tour for a tri-series against Sri Lanka Under-19s and Bangladesh Under-19s, where he did not score a half-century in any of the matches. He made a comeback with scores of 144 and an unbeaten 94 in the following Test series.
Kohli came into the limelight in 2008 when he led the team to victory in the U-19 World Cup. He led the Indian squad and won the 2008 U-19 World Cup held in Malaysia. He amassed 235 runs at an average of 47, ranking as the tournament’s third-highest scorer and one of three cricketers to compile a century. His century, a knock of 100 runs off 74 balls versus the West Indies Under-19s in a group stage encounter, was lauded as “the innings of the tournament.” This innings paved the way for India’s 50-run triumph and fetched Kohli the man of the match award.
Additionally, Kohli’s all-round performance in the semi-final against New Zealand Under-19s, where he captured 2 wickets and contributed 43 runs in the run-chase, was core to India’s victory. In the championship match, Kohli managed a score of 19 against South Africa Under-19s, and his contribution led to the eventual 12-run win via the D/L method.
In June 2008, Kohli and his U-19 teammates Pradeep Sangwan and Tanmay Srivastava were awarded the Border–Gavaskar scholarship. This scholarship, aimed at honing the skills of the chosen cricketers, provided an opportunity to train for six weeks at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. In a bid to identify potential talent for the senior team, Kohli was selected to represent India Emerging Players in the Emerging Players Tournament 2008.
His finest performance in the tournament was against New Zealand Emerging Players, where he played a knock of 120 runs, leading India to a seven-wicket victory. With an aggregate of 204 runs, Kohli’s performances did not go unnoticed by the selectors who were observing his progress. He began his international cricket journey by joining the senior team in Colombo, having played 28 Under-19 ODIs and 12 Under-19 Tests.
International career
Kohli’s international career began in August 2008 when the 19-year-old had a surprise call-up to the ODI squad for a tour of Sri Lanka. He opened the batting due to injuries to senior players, scoring his first half-century in the fourth match.
After a brief stint with the India A team, he scored a century against a strong Australian bowling line-up in a tour match. Despite an early contract, Kohli’s place in the team was not secure. A turning point came in the 2009 Emerging Players Tournament in Australia, where he was the top run-scorer, leading his team to victory with a century in the final. This performance cemented his return to the national side. He scored his maiden ODI century in December 2009 against Sri Lanka. By early 2010, he became the third Indian to score two ODI centuries before turning 22.
In 2010, Kohli was appointed vice-captain for a tri-series in Zimbabwe and became the then fastest Indian to score 1,000 ODI runs. After a dip in form during the 2010 Asia Cup, he solidified his position with consistent performances, finishing as India’s leading ODI run-scorer for the year. Kohli played a crucial role in India’s 2011 World Cup victory, scoring a century on his debut and a 35 in the final. He made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies, but struggled initially and was dropped. He was recalled and eventually found his footing, scoring his maiden Test century in Adelaide in January 2012. He continued to score runs in ODIs, with an unbeaten 133 against Sri Lanka and a career-best 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, being the standout performances.
By 2013, Kohli was a linchpin of the Indian batting line-up, particularly in run-chases. He played a key role in India’s 2013 Champions Trophy win and was appointed captain for the first time during a tri-series in the West Indies, where he scored his first century as skipper. He later established several records, including the fastest ODI century by an Indian.
After a difficult tour of England in 2014 where he averaged 13.4, Kohli regained form and was named the full-time Test captain following MS Dhoni’s retirement during the tour of Australia. In his first series as permanent captain, he scored three centuries in his first three innings, totaling 692 runs, the most by an Indian batsman in a Test series in Australia.
He also remained consistent in the T20 format, earning the Man of the Tournament award at the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 for his 319 runs in the tournament.
Kohli’s form in the lead-up to the World Cup was not at his best. However, after a strong start to the 2015 World Cup with a century against Pakistan, Kohli’s tournament ended with a score of 1 in the semi-final loss to Australia. A subsequent dip in form was followed by his first Test series win as captain in Sri Lanka. From 2016 to 2018, he entered a peak phase of his career.
In 2016, he was the Player of the Tournament at the ICC World T20. He became the first batsman to score double centuries in four consecutive Test series and was appointed captain for the 2017 Champions Trophy, where India finished as runners-up. This period saw him break numerous records, including becoming the fastest to 8,000, 10,000, and 11,000 ODI runs.
In 2018, he became the No. 1 ranked Test batsman and led India to India’s first-ever Test series victory in Australia. By 2019, he became India’s most successful Test captain, holding the ICC Test Mace for five consecutive years. He scored his 70th international century in November 2019, but this was followed by a prolonged lean patch.
From 2020 to 2022, Kohli struggled for runs and stepped down from the T20I, ODI, and Test captaincy in succession.
Kohli’s return to form began at the 2022 Asia Cup, where he scored his maiden T20I century, his first in any format in over 1,000 days. He was the highest run-scorer at the 2022 T20 World Cup, playing an impactful innings of 82* against Pakistan.
His peak resurgence came at the 2023 World Cup on home soil where he was named the Player of the Tournament for scoring a record 765 runs in a single edition. During the tournament, he scored his 50th ODI hundred, surpassing Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
In the next year’s T20 World Cup, Kohli had a lean tournament but delivered a player-of-the-match performance in the final, scoring 76 as India won the trophy. Following the victory, he announced his retirement from T20 Internationals.
In the 2025 Champions Trophy, Kohli was instrumental in India’s victory, scoring a century and becoming the fastest to 14,000 ODI runs. India later secured the title.
On 12 May 2025, after poor Border-Gavaskar Trophy performances, he announced that the Test series would be his last, marking his retirement from Test cricket.
Franchise career
In the inaugural 2008 Indian Premier League season, Royal Challengers Bangalore, then owned by Vijay Mallya, acquired Kohli for $50,000 following his performances in the Under-19 World Cup. Kohli managed one run in the opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders and initially struggled in the middle order.
A brief promotion to the top order in a match against the Deccan Chargers offered a glimpse of form, but he soon returned to his original position. He concluded the season with 165 runs, as Bangalore finished seventh in the league standings.
In the 2009 season, Kohli began with a series of low scores but found form with a half-century in the third match.
With more opportunities, he made crucial contributions, notably in the semi-final victory over Chennai Super Kings. However, he was dismissed for 7 in the final, as Bangalore lost to Deccan Chargers by eight runs, finishing as runners-up.
The 2010 season saw Kohli elevated to the role of vice-captain. He emerged as a reliable middle-order batter and an athletic fielder, with a notable 58 against the Deccan Chargers. Bangalore reached the playoffs but were eliminated by Mumbai Indians in the semi-final, where Kohli was again dismissed for 7.
In the 2010 Champions League T20, he delivered key performances, scoring 47 and 49* to help Bangalore reach the semi-finals before falling to Chennai. Ahead of the 2011 season, Kohli was the sole player retained by Bangalore for $1.8 million.
After a steady start, he hit peak form with a string of impactful innings, including a half-century and consecutive Player of the Match awards. He also stepped in as captain during Daniel Vettori’s absence and earned praise for his leadership. Bangalore topped the league table and advanced to the final, where Kohli contributed 35 runs in a losing cause. He concluded the season with 557 runs, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer.
In the 2012 IPL season, Kohli experienced an inconsistent run, beginning with low scores before registering a few significant innings, including an unbeaten 73 against Delhi Daredevils as part of a then-record 203-run partnership with Gayle. Midway through the season, he assumed captaincy from Vettori but could not guide Bangalore into the playoffs, with the team falling short in their final league match.
Player profile
Playing style
Kohli is considered an enterprising batsman, possessing technical abilities and a dynamic playing demeanour. His customary batting position in ODI cricket is at number three, with a slightly open-chested stance and a resolute grip on the bottom handle of his bat.
He has been noted for his agile footwork, expansive range of strokes, and his propensity for adeptly orchestrating innings while thriving in high-pressure situations. In his batting technique, Kohli tends to favour playing grounded shots rather than attempting big hits.
e is appreciated for his ability to execute wrist shots and his consistent prowess in the mid-wicket and cover region. Kohli has often expressed his admiration for the cover drive, which he considers to be his signature stroke.
He possesses a natural aptitude for the flick shot, particularly when facing deliveries aimed towards leg stump. Having limited use of the sweep shot, Kohli’s batting technique is characterized by an emphasis on ground shots that primarily yield runs in the regions between deep square leg and mid-on.
Kohli is known for his composed batting technique and versatility in his play. He scores runs between long-off and long-on with an aligned bat, while also possessing the ability to display a destructive streak.
His combination of bat-speed and supple wrist movements enables him to craft innovative angles that disrupt traditional field positioning. Kohli is also a proficient fielder, recognized for his quick reflexes and sure-handedness.
Public image and in media
In 2008, Kohli was approached by sports agent Bunty Sajdeh of Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment after his notable performance in the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Sajdeh was impressed with Kohli’s leadership skills and attitude and saw great potential in the young cricketer.
After being recommended by Yuvraj Singh, Kohli was signed to Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment. Over the years, Kohli’s brand endorsement portfolio has experienced significant growth. In 2013, it was reported that his endorsements were valued at over ₹100 crore (US$12 million).
By 2023, his brand value had reached ₹1,000 crore (US$120 million).
In 2017, Kohli entered into a notable endorsement agreement with Puma that spanned over eight years and was estimated to be worth around ₹1.1 billion (US$13 million). This deal made Kohli the first Indian athlete to sign a brand endorsement contract valued at ₹100 crore (US$12 million) with a brand.
As of January 2023, Kohli is widely regarded as the most marketable cricketer, with annual earnings estimated at ₹165 crore (US$20 million). Kohli is currently recognized as the most followed Asian individual on the social media platform Instagram, boasting over 266 million followers.
Reports indicate that he is able to command a fee of ₹8.9 crore (equivalent to ₹9.4 crore or US$1.1 million in 2023) for each sponsored post on the platform.
Test match performance
ODI match performance
T20I match performance
Honours
National honours
Other honours and awards
- People’s Choice Awards India for Favourite Sportsperson: 2012
- GQ Sportsman of the year: 2013
- CNN-News18 Indian of the Year: 2017
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s Person of the Year: 2019.
- Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) renamed a stand after Kohli at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.
