From Delhi to Melbourne, Virat Kohlis 17 years of dominance in international cricket

Mint

2 days ago

New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): On this day, way back in 2008, Virat Kohli, a young, fiery Delhi youth with a classy cover drive that could drive the cricket purists into absolute awe and the ability to dominate the toughest opponents and game situations, made his international debut against Sri Lanka in an ODI.
Between lifting the U-19 World Cup for India as a captain in Malaysia to bullying top-class bowling attacks of Australia, Pakistan, England, and South Africa into submission even years after his rise in the 2020s, Virat has transformed into one of the greatest batters of all time. Not the most gifted batter in a star-studded Indian dressing room, it was his hard work, dedication, hunger to pile up big, and a lion's heart that drove him to the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) status.
-An ambassador for Test cricket
Right from his Test debut till his very last image edging an outside off stump delivery bowled by Scott Boland to slips in his beloved Aussie land, Virat, while being inhumanely consistent across all formats simultaneously, lived, breathed, and ate Test cricket. Over the course of his 123 Test career, he proved himself as one of the biggest promoters of the long format, who could fill up the stadium with his mere presence.
In 123 Tests, Virat scored 9,230 runs in 210 innings at an average of 46.85 with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His best score of 254*. He ended up as India's fourth-highest run-getter in white clothing, but his impact goes way beyond the numbers.
Virat was also India's most successful Test captain, with 40 wins and 17 losses in 68 Tests. He transformed a young, under-transition Indian team into a fearless unit and gave their fast bowlers the encouragement, backing, and environment they needed. From accepting losses meekly, he transformed Team India into a unit that would give opponents death stares even while losing, suggesting that they could win a battle, but they would not win the war easily.
Be at home or away, Team India looked competitive. With a new fitness culture inculcated by a protein-shake-sipping, gym-freak Test skipper who gave up his beloved Chole Bathure and Butter Chicken for a legendary career in whites, the players got a new lease of life, agility, and sharpness on the field. He led India to seven wins in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) conditions, the most by any Indian captain.
After Tendulkar, the baton was passed on to Virat, who delivered some all-time SENA classics with the bat, ending as India's second-most successful batter in these conditions with 3,909 runs in 46 Tests and 89 innings at an average of 49.48, 10 centuries and 17 fifties.
-An ODI maestro with a calculator
With 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an average of 57.88, including 51 centuries and 74 fifties in just 290 innings, Virat proudly wears the title belt of undisputed ODI cricket champion. He is the third-highest run-getter in the format and India's second-best after Tendulkar (18,426 runs in 463 matches with 49 centuries). His otherworldly consistency and records in the formats have earned him this aforementioned title.
He is the only ODI cricketer with 50 centuries and holds the record for the highest runs in a single Cricket World Cup edition, with 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62, with three centuries and six fifties way back in 2023, winning the 'Player of the Tournament' honours in the tournament.
From his valuable 35 during the 2011 WC win while chasing 275 against Sri Lanka, which came while assisting Gautam Gambhir to his record-breaking century at Wankhede against New Zealand 12 years later in front of his idol, Virat has made some valuable contributions to India's quest for ICC titles.
The 'Chasemaster' has a calculator in his head, which reduces even the most gigantic targets to an absolute cakewalk. In successful run chases in ODIs, he has an enviable record of 5,998 runs in 107 matches and 101 innings at an average of 88.20, with 24 centuries and 26 fifties and a best score of 183, boasting a stat sheet that could be a whole career profile for many.
Under his captaincy, India reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and the semifinals of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. He led India to 65 wins in 95 ODIs, 27 losses, a tie, and two no results.
-An absolute match-winner in T20Is
In T20Is, Virat is the third-highest run-getter and India's second-best after Rohit Sharma (4,231 runs), with 4,188 in 125 matches and 117 innings at an average of 48.69. He has scored a century and 38 fifties, with a best score of 122*.
While there are several T20 masters who could outdo him on parameters like runs, strike rate, sixes and World Cups, no one comes close to his impact-making ability. He is the top run-getter in the ICC T20 World Cup tournament, with 1,292 runs in 35 matches and 33 innings at an average of 58.72, with 15 half-centuries.
In successful T20I run-chases, he has scored 1,651 runs in 42 matches and 39 innings at an average of 78.61, with a strike rate of 135.43 and 16 fifties. Shrinking his numbers down to the T20 World Cup makes for an even more stunning sight, having made 519 runs in 12 matches and 11 innings at an average of 173.00, with a strike rate of 137.66 and seven fifties, with a best score of 82*.
He is a two-time 'Player of the Tournament' winner in T20 WCs (2014 and 2016) and earned a fairytale farewell from the format with a 'Player of the Match' award for a match-winning 76 in the final against South Africa. In this tournament's knockouts, he has scored a half-century in five out of six innings. If WWE has 'Big Match John', John Cena sending fans happy with their moneys worth with a fine in-ring performance, cricket has 'Big Match Virat', making sure fans sleep with peace and smile on their faces, taking all the headache of chasing big runs himself.
-A trophy collector with a historic knockout record
Virat has won joint-most trophies by a cricketer, next to Ricky Ponting, with a Cricket World Cup, two ICC Champions Trophies (2013 and 2025), a T20 World Cup (2024) and an ICC U19 title (2008) to his name. One could also count the three ICC World Test Championship maces he won to keep India at the top of the Test Rankings as a captain, when it was not a proper competition.
He is the top run-getter across all ICC white-ball tournaments combined, with 3,834 runs in 90 matches and 87 innings at an average of 61.83, with six centuries and 33 fifties and a best score of 117. Across the knockout stages of these tournaments, he has scored 904 runs in 20 matches and innings at an average of 56.50, with a century and nine innings. Including the two WTC finals he played, he becomes the only cricketer with 1,000-plus runs in ICC tournament knockout games, with a century and nine fifties in 24 innings at an average of 51.20.
Across all formats, Virat has scored 27,599 runs in 550 matches and 617 innings at an average of 52.27, with 82 centuries and 143 fifties and a best score of 254*. He is the third-highest run-getter in all of international cricket.
He has also won 10 ICC Awards as an individual, the most by any player, including the coveted ICC Player of the Decade award (2011-20) and Cricketer of the Year award twice (2017 and 2018). (ANI)