With a stellar career spanning over 15 years, Virat Kohli has cemented his position as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. His impressive records and numerous awards are a testament to his dedication and hard work.
A Journey from Prodigy to Superstar
Let’s dive into his impressive records and achievements across all formats. From the days of being a young, spike-haired prodigy who led India to an iconic ICC U19 World Cup title win in Kuala Lumpur in 2008, Virat has proven himself to be an epitome of consistency, hard work, top-level fitness, dedication, aggression, and various other traits a top-class sportsperson would have.
Consistency and Performance: A Cricketer’s Dream
Having won India some of its biggest matches and spearheaded remarkable run-chases, Virat has evolved from just a classy stroke player to something way more: a statistician’s delight that keeps everyone dissecting and marveling at his numbers. He has become a symbol of what Indian cricket represents in the modern age: aggressive, resilient, razor-sharp technically, filled with trophies to the brim, and most importantly, a brand that has elevated the sport of cricket to people and places unknown.
Virat Kohli’s Test Career: A Rollercoaster of Achievements
Right from his international debut in 2008, Virat has represented India in 118 matches, scoring 9,040 runs at an average of 47.83, with 29 centuries and 31 fifties to his name and a best score of 254*. He is the fourth-highest run-getter and century maker for India in Tests.
Virat’s Test career has witnessed plenty of ups and downs. His form from 2016-2019 is among the greatest peaks in the longest format, having made 4,208 runs in 43 Tests and 69 innings at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties. It was during this period he smashed seven double centuries, the most by a captain in Tests, a record which still stands.
The Test Captaincy Era: Setting New Standards
Virat, the Test captain, remains one of the biggest ambassadors for the long format. India’s most successful Test captain ever, he led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, losing just 17 and drawing 11. His win percentage stood at above 58.
His impact as a Test captain goes beyond the numbers. Development of a highly strict, no-nonsense fitness culture, hunger to win, a never-say-die attitude, a number of landmark overseas wins, and the development of a huge bench strength of fast bowlers contributed to India’s streak of three ICC World Test Championship (WTC) mace wins from 2017-19 and their qualification for WTC finals in 2021 and 2023.
Virat Kohli in ODIs: The Unmatched “Chasemaster”
ODIs remain Virat’s best format, and he arguably is the greatest to grace this format. In 295 ODIs, he has scored 13,906 runs at an average of 58.18, with 50 centuries and 72 fifties. His best score is 183. He is the third-highest run-getter in ODIs and second-highest among Indians.
Virat is the only player to have scored 50 centuries in ODIs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record during the World Cup 2023 semifinal against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, right in front of Sachin, a man he grew up idolizing.
The ‘King Kohli’ has showcased his best in the 50-over format, owning plenty of records. He is the fastest player to have reached 8,000 runs (175 innings), 9,000 runs (194 innings), 10,000 runs (205 innings), 11,000 runs (222 innings), 12,000 runs (242 innings), and 13,000 runs (267 innings).
Record-Breaking Performances in Major Tournaments
Virat is a “chasemaster” in the 50-over format, scoring the most runs and centuries in successful run-chases. In 102 such matches, he has scored 5,786 runs at a marvelous average of 90.40, with 23 tons and 25 fifties in 96 innings.
He holds the record for most runs in an ODI bilateral series, with 558 runs at an average of 186.00 in six matches against South Africa in the 2017-18 season, with three centuries and a fifty. His best score was 160*.
Virat has been part of the team that won the ICC Cricket World Cup (2011) and ICC Champions Trophy (2013) and ended as runners-up in the ICC Cricket World Cup (2023) after a 10-match win streak and a heartbreaking loss to Australia in the final.
Though he delivered many memorable knocks in these tournaments, the WC 2023 is his peak as an ODI batter. He ended the tournament as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ with 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62, including three centuries and six fifties.
In 50-over World Cup history, Virat is the second-highest run-getter with 1,795 runs in 37 matches at an average of 69.83, with five centuries and 12 fifties. In the ICC Champions Trophy, he has scored 529 runs in 13 matches at an average of 88.16, with five fifties in 12 innings.
T20I Success: A Match-Winning Force
Virat has also shined in T20Is, scoring 4,188 runs in 125 matches and 117 innings at an average of 48.69, with a century and 38 fifties. His best score is 122*. He is the second-highest run-getter in this format.
He has won seven ‘Player of the Series’ awards in T20Is, the most by any player. He was also part of the team that won the T20 World Cup 2024, scoring a match-sealing 76 in the final.
Virat’s exploits in T20 World Cups have made him one of the tournament’s biggest stars, with 1,292 runs in 35 matches and 33 innings at an average of 58.72 and 15 fifties. He won the ‘Player of the Tournament’ awards in 2014 and 2016.
In successful T20I run-chases, Virat has scored 1,651 runs in 42 matches and 39 innings, at an average of 78.61, with 16 fifties and a best score of 94*. This is the most by a batter in this format.
He has won 30 matches as captain, losing 16, and tying two/no results in 50 T20Is.
A Cricketer with an Unmatched Legacy
Virat is the only cricketer to have laid his hands on all major ICC titles: the U19 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, the T20 World Cup, and the ICC World Test Championship mace.
Overall, in international cricket, Virat has scored 27,134 runs in 538 matches at an average of 52.78, with 80 centuries and 141 fifties. His best score is 254*. He is the third-highest run-getter in all of cricket and the second-highest among Indians. His tally of 80 tons is the second-highest overall and the highest among active players.
He holds the record for most runs by an Indian in a calendar year, having made 2,818 runs in 2017, in 46 matches at an average of 68.73, with 11 centuries and 10 fifties. His best score was 243.
Recognition and Awards: An Icon of Cricket
Virat has won the most ‘Player of the Series’ honors, with 21, and is the second-highest ‘Player of the Match’ honoree, with 67 in all of cricket.
He has scored the most runs in successful run-chases across all formats, with 8,985 runs in 166 matches and 165 innings at an average of 80.94. This includes 28 centuries, the most by a player, and 46 fifties.
Virat is also the only player to have made 3,000 runs across all ICC senior white-ball tournaments, with 3,616 runs, including five centuries and 32 fifties.
He is also the only player to have won three ‘Player of the Tournament’ awards in ICC events. Individually, he has won several ICC awards, including ICC Player of the Decade (2011-2020), ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Year (2017, 2018), ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year (2018), and ICC Men’s T20 Player of the Year (2016, 2022).
The Influence of Virat Kohli Beyond the Game
Virat’s popularity transcends the cricketing realm, earning him endorsements from various global brands and making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
As he embarks on this new chapter at 36, cricket enthusiasts worldwide celebrate not just his achievements but also the excitement of witnessing more thrilling performances from this cricketing maestro in the years to come.
(WITH ANI INPUTS)
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