Virat Kohli: 18 years since his international debut
A remarkable career begins
Virat Kohli made his international debut 18 years ago, on August 18, 2008, in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. His initial outing saw him score 12 runs from 22 balls before being dismissed by Nuwan Kulasekara. India was bowled out for 146, and Sri Lanka secured an eight-wicket victory. This modest start preceded a career defined by numerous records and significant achievements in cricket.
Before his international debut, Kohli had captained India to the Under-19 World Cup title. He emerged from Delhi’s domestic cricket system, quickly transitioning from a promising junior player to a key figure in Indian cricket across various formats.
Milestones and records
Over his 18-year career, Kohli has accumulated more than 28,000 international runs and 85 centuries. This places him second only to Sachin Tendulkar in the total number of international centuries. He has also been a part of India’s major white-ball triumphs and has received significant honours at both international and franchise levels.
Some of his notable career statistics include:
- 20,960 international runs between 2010 and 2019, marking the most by any player in a single decade.
- Seven Test double centuries, the most by an Indian captain.
- 995 runs in 10 successive ODI innings, which included five centuries.
- 1,292 T20 World Cup runs, the highest in the tournament’s history.
- 22 Player of the Series awards in international cricket, the most by any player.
- 15 Player of the Match awards in ICC limited-overs tournaments, another record.
- Nine IPL seasons with 500-plus runs.
The 2010s were particularly significant for Kohli, as he scored 20,960 international runs during this decade at an average of 57.58, with 69 centuries and 98 fifties. This performance surpassed the decade-long runs of players like Ricky Ponting, who scored 18,962 international runs in the 2000s, and Tendulkar, who made 14,197 in the 1990s.
In 2018, Kohli had an exceptional year, scoring 2,735 runs across 37 matches at an average of 68.37, with 11 centuries and nine fifties. That year, he became the only player to win the Cricketer of the Year, Test Player of the Year, and ODI Player of the Year awards in the same ICC edition. He also holds the most ICC Awards, with a total of 10.
Chasing excellence and consistency
Kohli’s ability to perform under pressure is evident in his record in major tournaments and run-chases. He is the leading run-scorer in ICC white-ball tournaments, with 3,854 runs, including six centuries and 33 fifties. In the T20 World Cup, his 1,292 runs are the most in the tournament’s history, and India has won all eight matches where he remained unbeaten.
His seven Test double centuries as captain are an Indian record, achieved faster than Don Bradman reached the same mark. Kohli completed his seven double hundreds in 1,176 days, while Bradman took 1,484 days for his first seven.
In ODI matches where India chased 350 or more, Kohli has scored 411 runs in four matches at an average of 205.50, including three centuries and a fifty. India won three of those four games. His longevity in the IPL is also notable, with nine seasons achieving 500-plus runs.
Kohli is the only Indian to have scored international centuries on both Independence Day and Republic Day. He also holds the distinction of having scored Test centuries in all SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) nations, joining an elite group of Indian cricketers.
Eighteen years after his debut in Dambulla, Kohli’s career has far surpassed the expectations set by his initial score of 12.
Source: indiatoday.in
