Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is an Indian batsman and former all-format captain regarded as one of the greatest modern batters, holding the record for most centuries in ODI cricket (51) and second-most international centuries overall (85).

Virat Kohli was born in Delhi in 1988 and emerged as India's most prolific ODI and Test batsman of the modern era, widely regarded as the finest player in the world across all formats between 2014 and 2020. He made his ODI debut in 2008 aged 19. His ODI record: 13,000+ runs in 295 matches at 58.07 average — the highest by any batsman across 200+ ODI innings — with 50 centuries and 72 half-centuries. His Test record: 9,000+ runs in 113 matches at 49.0 with 30 centuries. He plays for Delhi domestically and captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. He captained India across all formats from 2014 to 2022 — winning the ICC Test Championship in 2023. He is the only player in cricket history to average over 50 in both Tests and ODIs across a complete career. His 254 not out against South Africa in 2019 is his highest Test score. He scored 5 centuries in the 2018 England Test series — an exceptional return on a difficult tour. He was ICC ODI Player of the Decade for 2011–2020. His conversion rate of fifties into hundreds is the highest in Test cricket history. He retired from T20 internationals in 2024 after India's World Cup victory, one of his final landmark moments in international cricket. Kohli's record of eight Player of the Match awards at T20 World Cups remained unmatched through the 2026 edition, in which India claimed a record third title.

Kohli is known for his aggressive and technically sound batting style, combining classical strokeplay with modern shot-making. He excels in chasing targets and is particularly strong through the covers and mid-wicket region. His fitness, intensity, and ability to perform under pressure make him one of the most complete batsmen in world cricket.

Kohli transformed the fitness and professional standards of Indian cricket, inspiring a generation of players to adopt more rigorous training regimens. His consistent run-scoring across all formats has set new benchmarks for modern batting.

• 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup winner
• 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup winner
• ICC Cricketer of the Year multiple times
• most ODI centuries in history (51)