VIRAT KOHLI
Early life
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi in a Punjabi family.[8][9] His father, Prem Kohli, worked as a criminal lawyer and his mother, Saroj Kohli, is a housewife.[10] He has an elder brother, Vikash, and an elder sister, Bhavna.[11] According to his family, when he was three-years old, Kohli would pick up a cricket bat, start swinging it and ask his father to bowl at him.[12]Kohli was raised in Uttam Nagar[13] and started his schooling at Vishal Bharti Public School. In 1998, the West Delhi Cricket Academy was created, and Kohli, a nine-year-old, was part of its first intake.[13] Kohli's father took him to the academy after their neighbors suggested that "Virat shouldn't waste his time in gully cricket and instead join a professional club".[10] Kohli trained at the academy under Rajkumar Sharma and also played matches at the Sumit Dogra Academy near Noida at the same time.[13] In ninth grade, he shifted to Savier Convent in Paschim Vihar to help his cricket practice.[10] Apart from sports, Kohli was good at academics as well, and his teachers remember him as "a bright and alert child".[14]
Kohli's father died on 18 December 2006 due to brain stroke after being bed-ridden for a month.[10] Regarding his early life, Kohli has said in an interview, "I've seen a lot in life. Losing my father at a young age, the family business not doing too well, staying in a rented place. There were tough times for the family... It's all embedded in my memory."[15] According to Kohli, his father supported his cricket training during his childhood, "My father was my biggest support. He was the one who drove me to practice everyday. I miss his presence sometimes."[16]
Youth and domestic career
Kohli first played for Delhi Under-15 team in October 2002 in the 2002–03 Polly Umrigar Trophy. He was the leading run-getter for his team in that tournament with 172 runs at an average of 34.40.[17] He became the captain of the team for the 2003–04 Polly Umrigar Trophy[18] and scored 390 runs in 5 innings at an average of 78 including two centuries and two fifties.[19] In late-2004, he was selected in the Delhi Under-17 team for the 2003–04 Vijay Merchant Trophy. He scored 470 runs in four matches at an average of 117.50 with two hundreds and top-score of 251*.[20] Delhi Under-17s won the 2004–05 Vijay Merchant Trophy in which Kohli finished as the highest run-scorer with 757 runs from 7 matches at an average of 84.11 with two centuries.[21] In February 2006, he made his List A debut for Delhi against Services but did not get to bat.[22]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[23] and 49 in the three-match Test series.[24] India Under-19 went on to win both the series. At the conclusion of the tour, the India Under-19 coach Lalchand Rajput was impressed with Kohli and said, "Kohli showed strong technical skills against both pace and spin".[25] In September, the India Under-19 team toured Pakistan. Kohli averaged 58 in the Test series[26] and 41.66 in the ODI series against Pakistan Under-19s.[27] In October, playing for Delhi Under-19s, he averaged 15 in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy[28] and 72.66 in the Cooch Behar Trophy.[29] He was then picked in the North Zone Under-19 squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in which he averaged 28 in two matches.[30]
"The way I approached the game changed that day. I just had one thing in my mind - that I have to play for my country and live that dream for my dad."
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— Kohli on his innings against Karnataka.[31]
In April 2007, he made his Twenty20 debut and finished as the highest run-getter for his team in the Inter-State T20 Championship with 179 runs at an average of 35.80.[35] In July–August 2007, the India Under-19 team toured Sri Lanka. In the triangular series against Sri Lanka Under-19s and Bangladesh Under-19s, Kohli was the second highest run-getter with 146 runs from 5 matches.[36] In the two-match Test series that followed, he scored 244 runs at an average of 122 including a hundred and a fifty.[37]
"He is a very physical type of player. He likes to impose himself on the game, backs it up with his skill."
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— India's coach at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup Dav Whatmore on Kohli.[31]
Following the Under-19 World Cup, Kohli was bought by the Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore for $30,000 on a youth contract.[42] In June 2008, Kohli and his Under-19 teammates Pradeep Sangwan and Tanmay Srivastava were awarded the Border-Gavaskar scholarship. The scholarship allowed the three players to train for six weeks at Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.[38] In July 2008, he was included in India's 30-man probable squad for the ICC Champions Trophy which was to be held in Pakistan in September 2008.[43] He was also picked in the India Emerging Players squad for the four-team Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. He was in fine form in that tournament and scored 206 runs in six matches at an average of 41.20.[44]
International career
Early years
In August 2008, Kohli was included in the Indian ODI squad for tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Prior to the Sri Lankan tour, Kohli had played only eight List A matches,[45] and his selection was called a "surprise call-up".[46] During the Sri Lankan tour, as both first-choice openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were injured, Kohli batted as a makeshift opener throughout the series. He made his international debut in the first ODI of the tour and was dismissed for 12.[47] He made his first ODI half century, a score of 54, in the fourth match which helped India win the series.[48] He had scores of 37, 25 and 31 in the other three matches.[49] India won the series 3–2 which was India's first ODI series win against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.After the Champions Trophy was postponed to 2009, Kohli was picked as a replacement for the injured Shikhar Dhawan in the India A squad for the unofficial Tests against Australia A in September 2008.[50] He batted only once in the two-match series, and scored 49 in that innings.[51] Later that month, he played for Delhi in the Nissar Trophy against SNGPL and top-scored for Delhi in both innings, with 52 and 197. The match was drawn but SNGPL won the trophy on first-innings lead.[52] In October 2008, Kohli played for Indian Board President's XI in a four-day tour match against Australia. He made 105 and 16* in that match against a bowling lineup consisting of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Jason Krejza.[53]
Kohli was included in the squad for the home ODI series against England in November 2008 but was not given a chance to play, due to the inclusion of Tendulkar and Sehwag in team.[54] In December 2008, Kohli was given a Grade D contract in the annual BCCI contracts list which entitled him to receive Rs 15 lakh.[55] He was then dropped from the squad for the five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka against Sri Lanka in January 2009.
Kohli was selected in the four-team Emerging Players Tournament in July–August 2009 held in Australia. He opened the innings for India Emerging Players in that tournament and finished as the leading run-getter with 398 runs from seven matches at an average of 66.33.[56] He scored 104 off 102 balls in the final against South Africa Emerging Players at Brisbane to help his team win the match by 17 runs and clinch the title.[57] At the conclusion of the tournament, Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of the national selection committee, was impressed with Kohli and remarked "I must say, opener Virat Kohli was outstanding. Some of the shots he played spoke about his ability."[58] Kohli has called this tournament as the "turning point" of his career.[59]
Kohli then replaced the injured Gambhir in Indian squad for the tri-series in Sri Lanka.[60] Kohli batted at number 4 for India in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy because of the injury to Yuvraj Singh. In the inconsequential group match against the West Indies, Kohli scored an unbeaten 79 in India's successful chase of 130 and won his first man of the match award.[61] Kohli played as a reserve batsman in the seven-match home ODI series against Australia, appearing in two matches as a replacement for the injured players Yuvraj and Gambhir. Kohli found a place in the home ODI series against Sri Lanka in December 2009. He scored 27 and 54 in the first two ODIs before making way for Yuvraj who regained fitness for the third ODI. However, Yuvraj's finger injury recurred leading to him being ruled out indefinitely.[62] Kohli returned to the team in the fourth ODI at Kolkata and scored his first ODI century–107 off 111 balls–sharing a 224-run partnership for the third wicket with Gambhir who made his personal best score of 150. India won by seven wickets to seal the series 3–1.[63] The man of the match was awarded to Gambhir who gave the award to Kohli.[64]
Tendulkar was rested for the tri-nation ODI tournament in Bangladesh in January 2010 which enabled Kohli to play in each of India's five matches. After making 9 in the opening loss to Sri Lanka, he scored 91 to help secure a win after India collapsed to 51/3 early in their run-chase of 297 against Bangladesh.[65] In the next match against Sri Lanka, Kohli ended unbeaten on 71 to help India win the match with a bonus point having chased down their target of 214 within 33 overs. The next day, he scored his second ODI century, against Bangladesh, bringing up the mark with the winning runs.[66] He became only the third Indian batsman to score two ODI centuries before their 22nd birthday, after Tendulkar and Suresh Raina.[67] Kohli was much praised for his performances during the series[59][68] in particular by the Indian captain Dhoni.[69] Although Kohli made only two runs in the final against Sri Lanka in a four-wicket Indian defeat,[70] he finished as the leading run-getter of the series with 275 runs from five innings at an average of 91.66.[71] In the three-match ODI series at home against South Africa in February, Kohli batted in two games and had scores of 31 and 57.
Rise through the ranks
Raina was named captain and Kohli vice-captain for the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in May–June 2010, as many first-choice players skipped the tour. Kohli made 168 runs at 42.00 including two fifties,[72] but India suffered three defeats in four matches and crashed out of the series. During the series, Kohli became the fastest Indian batsman to reach 1,000 runs in ODI cricket.[73] He made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe at Harare and scored an unbeaten 26.[74] Later that same month, India chose a full-strength squad for the 2010 Asia Cup with Dhoni as captain and Sehwag vice-captain. Kohli batted at 3 throughout the tournament and scored a total of 67 runs at an average of 16.75.[75] His struggles with form continued in the tri-series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Sri Lanka where he averaged 15.Despite the poor run of form, Kohli was retained in the ODI squad for a three-match series against Australia in October. The first and third matches of the series were washed out and in the second match at Visakhapatnam, Kohli scored his third ODI century–118 off 121 balls–which helped India chase down the target of 290 after losing the openers early.[76] He won the man of the match and admitted that he was under pressure to keep his place in the team after failures in the two previous series.[77] In late-2010, Gambhir was named captain of a largely inexperienced ODI squad to play against New Zealand, and Kohli maintained his place.[78] In the first ODI at Guwahati, Kohli scored a 104-ball 105, his fourth ODI hundred and second in succession, in a 40-run victory and was awarded man of the match.[79] In the second and third ODIs, he made 64 and 63* respectively, sharing 100-plus partnerships with Gambhir in both matches chasing.[80][81] India completed a 5–0 whitewash of New Zealand, while Kohli's performance in the series helped him become a regular in the ODI team[82] and made him a strong contender for a spot in India's World Cup squad.[83] He was India's leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2010, with 995 runs from 25 matches at an average of 47.38 including three centuries.[84]
Kohli played in the one-match T20I series and all five ODIs of the South African tour in January 2011. India won the T20I in which he scored 28, but lost the ODI series 2–3, in which he finished as India's leading run-getter with 193 runs at an average of 48.25 including two fifties, both in Indian defeats.[85] During the ODI series, India announced their 15-man squad for the World Cup in which Kohli was also named.[86] Kohli also reached the number two spot on the ICC Rankings for ODI batsmen during the series.[87]
The inclusion of both Kohli and Raina in the World Cup squad resulted in speculations about which of the two batsmen will make it to the playing eleven. Days before India's first match of the tournament, Indian captain Dhoni indicated that the in-form Kohli is likely to be preferred over Raina.[87] Kohli played in every match of India's successful World Cup campaign. He scored an unbeaten 100, his fifth ODI century, in the first match against Bangladesh and became the first Indian batsman to score a century on World Cup debut.[88] In the next four group matches he had low scores of 8, 34, 12 and 1 against England, Ireland, Netherlands and South Africa respectively. He returned to form against West Indies scoring 59 and sharing a 122-run third-wicket partnership with Yuvraj Singh.[89] Against Australia in the quarterfinals, he scored 24,[90] and was dismissed for 9 in the semifinal against Pakistan.[91] India won both matches and progressed to the finals against Sri Lanka at Mumbai. In the final, he scored 35 and shared an 83-run partnership with Gambhir for the third wicket after India had lost both openers within the seventh over chasing 275.[92] The partnership is regarded as "one of the turning points in the match".[93] India went on to win the match by six wickets and lift the World Cup for the first time since 1983.[94]
When India toured the West Indies in June–July 2011, they chose a largely inexperienced squad, resting Tendulkar and others such as Gambhir and Sehwag missing out due to injuries. Kohli was one of three uncapped players in the Test squad.[95] Kohli found success in the ODI series which India won 3–2, with a total of 199 runs at an average of 39.80.[96] His best efforts came in the second ODI at Port of Spain where he won the man of the match for his score of 81 which gave India a seven-wicket victory,[97] and the fifth ODI at Kingston where his innings of 94 came in a seven-wicket defeat.[98] Kohli made his Test debut at Kingston in the first match of the Test series that followed. He batted at five and was dismissed for 4 and 15 caught behind by Fidel Edwards in both innings.[99] India went on to win the Test series 1–0 but Kohli struggled throughout the series amassing just 76 runs from five innings.[100] He struggled against the short ball[101] and was particularly troubled by the fast bowling of Edwards, who dismissed him three times in the series.[102]
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Initially dropped from the Test squad for India's four-match series in England in July and August, Kohli was recalled as replacement for the injured Yuvraj,[103] though did not play in any match in the series. He found moderate success in the subsequent ODI series in which he averaged 38.80.[104] His score of 55 in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street[105] was followed by a string of low scores in the next three matches. In the last game of the series, Kohli scored his sixth ODI hundred–107 runs off 93 balls–and shared a 170-run third-wicket partnership with Rahul Dravid, who was playing his last ODI, to help India post their first 300-plus total of the tour.[106] Kohli was dismissed hit wicket in that innings which was the only century in the series by any player on either team and earned him praise for his "hard work" and "maturity".[107] However, England won the match by D/L method and the series 3–0.
In October 2011, Kohli was the leading run-scorer of the five-match home ODI series against England which India won 5–0. He scored a total of 270 runs across five matches including unbeaten knocks of 112 from 98 balls at Delhi, where he put on an unbroken 209-run partnership with Gambhir,[108] and 86 at Mumbai, both in successful run-chases.[109] Following this ODI success, Kohli was included, ahead of Raina, in the Test squad to face the West Indies in November. In competition with Yuvraj Singh for the number six position,[110] it was not until the final match of the series that Kohli was selected in the team.[111] He scored a pair of fifties in the match, passing his previous highest Test score of 30,[112] and his knock of 52 in the first innings ensured India avoided follow-on.[113] The match ended in a draw, and having won the first two Tests, India took the series 2–0. India won the subsequent ODI series 4–1 in which Kohli managed to accumulate 243 runs at 60.75.[114] During the series, Kohli scored his eighth ODI century and his second at Visakhapatnam, where he made 117 off 123 balls in India's run-chase of 271,[115] a knock which raised his reputation as "an expert of the chase".[116] Kohli ended up as the leading run-getter in ODIs for the year 2011, with 1381 runs from 34 matches at 47.62 and four centuries.[117]
Ascension to ODI vice-captaincy
Kohli was selected in India's Test squad for the tour of Australia in December 2011. The exclusion of Yuvraj from the Test squad meant that the number six position was a competition between Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who was yet to make his Test debut.[118] Kohli top-scored with 132 in a tour match against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI and strengthened his case for a spot in the Boxing Day Test.[119] Kohli was picked for the first Test at Melbourne, but his defensive technique was exposed in the match[120] as he was dismissed for 11 in the first innings and a first-ball duck in the second, by Ben Hilfenhaus on both occasions.[121] He struggled in the second Test at Sydney as well with scores of 24 and 9. While fielding on the boundary during the second day of the match, he gestured to the crowd with his middle finger for which he was fined 50% of his match fees by the match referee. Kohli responded to the incident on Twitter by posting: "i agree cricketers dont have to retaliate. what when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst ive heard" (sic).[122] Kohli top-scored in each of India's innings in the third Test at Perth, with 44 and 75, even as India surrendered to their second consecutive innings defeat.[123] In the fourth and final match at Adelaide, Kohli scored his maiden Test century of 116 runs in the first innings; it was the only century scored by an Indian in the series.[124] India lost the series 4–0 and Kohli, India's top run-scorer in the series, was described as "the lone bright spot in an otherwise nightmare visit for the tourists".[125]Following the Test series, India remained in Australia for a two match T20I series and the Commonwealth Bank triangular series featuring Australia and Sri Lanka apart from India. Kohli scored 22 and 31 in the T20I series that ended in a 1–1 draw. In the tri-series, Kohli top-scored with 31 in India's opening loss to Australia,[126] before scoring 77 at Perth in the next match against Sri Lanka in a four-wicket win.[127] In the next five matches, he had scores of 18, 15, 12, 66 and 21. Two wins and a tie in seven matches meant that India needed a bonus point win their last group match against Sri Lanka at Hobart to stay in contention for qualifying for the finals series.[128] Chasing 321 to win, Kohli came to the crease with India's score at 86/2 and went on to score 133 not out from 86 balls to take India to a comfortable win with 13 overs to spare.[129] India earned a bonus point with the win and Kohli was named Man of the Match for his effort, which included scoring 24 runs in an over by Lasith Malinga.[130] Former Australian cricketer and commentator, Dean Jones said that Kohli's innings "is up there with one of the greatest ODI knocks of all time".[131] However, Sri Lanka beat Australia three days later in their last group fixture and knocked India out of the series.[132] With 373 runs at 53.28, Kohli once again scored the only hundred by an Indian batsman and finished as India's highest run-scorer of the series.[133]
Kohli was appointed the vice-captain for the 2012 Asia Cup in Bangladesh on the back of his fine performance in Australia. Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of selectors, told reporters, "Hats off to Virat Kohli for the way he played. We have to start looking towards the future. The selection committee and the Board felt Kohli is future captaincy material."[134] Kohli was in fine form during the tournament, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 357 runs at an average of 119.[135] He scored 108 in the opening match against Sri Lanka in a 50-run Indian victory,[136] while India lost their next match to Bangladesh in which he made 66.[137] In the final group stage match against Pakistan, he scored a personal best 183 off 148 balls, his 11th ODI century. Coming in at 0/1, he struck 22 fours and a six in his innings to help India to chase down 330, their highest successful ODI run-chase at the time.[138][139] His knock was the highest individual score in Asia Cup history, the joint-second highest score in an ODI run-chase and the highest individual score against Pakistan in ODIs surpassing previous record of 156 by Brian Lara.[140] Kohli was awarded the man of the match in both matches that India won, but India could not progress to the final of the tournament.
In July–August 2012, Kohli struck two centuries in the five-match ODI tour of Sri Lanka–106 off 113 balls at Hambantota and 128* off 119 balls at Colombo–winning man of the match in both games.[141][142] India won the series 4–1 and on account of scoring the most number of runs in the series, Kohli was named player of the series.[143] In the one-off T20I that followed, he scored a 48-ball 68, his first T20I fifty, and won the player of the series award.[144] Kohli scored his second Test century at Bangalore during New Zealand's tour of India and won his first man of the match award in Test cricket.[145] India won the two-match series 2–0, and Kohli averaged 106 with one hundred and two fifties from three innings.[146] In the subsequent T20I series, he scored 70 runs off 41 balls, but India lost the match by one run and the series 1–0.[147] He continued to be in good form during the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, with 185 runs from 5 matches at an average of 46.25.[148] He hit two fifties during the tournament, 50 against Afghanistan in the group stage[149] and 78* against Pakistan in the Super Eights, winning man of the match for both innings.[150]
Kohli's Test form dipped during the first three matches of England's tour of India with a top score of 20 and England leading the series 2–1. He scored a patient 103 from 295 balls in the last match on a slow and low pitch at Nagpur,[151] keeping India in contention of drawing the series. ESPNcricinfo praised Kohli for having "demonstrated his growing maturity to play just the sort of innings his side required",[152] while Kohli described his knock as "a learning innings".[153] However, the match ended in a draw and England won their first Test series in India in 28 years.[154] India drew the following T20I series 1–1 in which Kohli had scores of 21 and 38. Before the five-match ODI series against England in January 2013, India hosted Pakistan for two T20Is and three ODIs. The T20I series was drawn 1–1 and Pakistan won the ODI series 2–1. Kohli struggled in both series, averaging 18 in the T20Is[155] and 4.33 in the ODIs.[156] Kohli was troubled by the fast bowlers, particularly Junaid Khan, who dismissed him on all three occasions in the ODI series.[157] Kohli had a quiet ODI series against England, apart from a match-winning 77* in the third ODI at Ranchi,[158] with a total of 155 runs at an average of 38.75.[159]
"I love watching Virat Kohli bat. He looks to me like an individual of my own heart. I love his aggression, and [he has] serious passion that I used to have. He reminds me of myself."
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— Former West Indies captain Sir Viv Richards on Kohli.[160]
Setting records
In June 2013, Kohli featured in the ICC Champions Trophy in England which India won. He scored a match-winning 144 against Sri Lanka in a warm-up match.[164] He was dismissed for 34 in India's opening match of the tournament against South Africa, trying to pull a short ball from Lonwabo Tsotsobe,[165] and 22 in the next match against the West Indies by Sunil Narine.[166] He remained unbeaten at 22 in India's final group match against Pakistan, while India qualified for the semifinals with an undefeated record.[167] In the semifinal against Sri Lanka at Cardiff, he struck 58 not out in an eight-wicket win for India.[168] The final between India and England at Birmingham was reduced to 20 overs after a rain delay. India batted first and Kohli top-scored with 43 from 34 balls, sharing a vital sixth-wicket partnership of 47 runs off 33 balls with Ravindra Jadeja, to help India reach 129/7 in 20 overs. India went on to secure a five-run win and their second consecutive ICC ODI tournament victory.[169]
Kohli stood-in as the captain for the first ODI of the triangular series in West Indies after Dhoni injured himself during the match. India lost the match by one wicket, and Dhoni was subsequently ruled out of the series with Kohli being named captain for the remaining matches.[170] In his second match as captain, Kohli scored his first hundred as captain, making 102 off 83 balls against the West Indies at Port of Spain in a bonus point win for India.[171] India earned another bonus point win in their next match against Sri Lanka and, having topped the points table, qualified for the final against the same opposition.[172] Dhoni recovered from his injury before the final and returned to the team as captain. Kohli was dismissed for 2 in that match, but India went on to register a one-wicket victory.[173] Many senior players including Dhoni were rested for the five-match ODI tour of Zimbabwe in July 2013, with Kohli being appointed captain for an entire series for the first time.[174] In the first game of the series at Harare, he struck 115 runs from 108 balls, helping India chase down the target of 229 and winning the man of the match award.[175] He batted on two more occasions in the series in which he had scores of 14 and 58 not out. India completed a 5–0 sweep of the series; their first in an away ODI series.[176]
"I always had a different kind of feeling when I started working with Virat Kohli. From the beginning, I was very sure that he was a rare talent and would become a great player. He grew massively in these past few years and has matured a lot. I was fortunate to be part of that process of seeing him grow and that give me immense pleasure."
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— Gary Kirsten, who was India's coach from 2008 to 2011, on Kohli.[177]
Kohli batted twice in the two-match Test series against West Indies, and had scores of 3 and 57 being dismissed by Shane Shillingford in both innings. This was also the last Test series for Tendulkar and Kohli was expected to take Tendulkar's number four batting position after the series.[185] In the first game of the three-match ODI series that followed at Kochi, Kohli made 86 to seal a six-wicket win and won the man of the match.[186] During the match, he also equaled Viv Richards' record of becoming the fastest batsman to make 5,000 runs in ODI cricket, reaching the landmark in his 114th innings. Kohli said of the record, "To equal a feat with a player like him [Richards] is a very good feeling but it does not stop here because it is more or less the beginning. I am only 25. It is nice to equal his record but still there is a long way to go."[187] He missed out on his third century at Visakhapatnam in the next match, after being dismissed for 99 playing a hook shot off Ravi Rampaul.[188] India lost the match by two wickets, but took the series 2–1 after winning the last match at Kanpur.[189] With 204 runs at 68.00, Kohli finished the series as the leading run-getter and was awarded the man of the series.[190]
Overseas season
India toured South Africa in December 2013 for three ODIs and two Tests. Kohli averaged 15.50 in the ODIs, including a duck.[191] In the first Test at Johannesburg, playing his first Test in South Africa[192] and batting at 4 for the first time,[193] Kohli scored 119 and 96. His hundred was the first by a subcontinent batsman at the venue since 1998.[194] Regarding Kohli's hundred, South Africa bowling coach Allan Donald said, "The one word that comes to my mind is responsibility. I think he [Kohli] showed great discipline and responsibility. It reminds me of Sachin Tendulkar when they came here in 1996."[195] The match ended in a draw, and Kohli was awarded man of the match.[196] India failed to win a single match on the tour, losing the second Test by 10 wickets in which he made 46 and 11.[197]
"[Kohli] is the next chosen one. He exudes the intensity of [Dravid], the audacity of [Sehwag], and the extraordinary range of [Tendulkar]. That doesn't make him better, simply sui generis, his own unique kind."
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— Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe on Kohli.[198]
India then traveled to Bangladesh for the Asia Cup and World Twenty20. Dhoni was ruled out of the Asia Cup after suffering a side strain during the New Zealand tour, which led to Kohli being named captain for the tournament.[205] Kohli scored 136 off 122 balls in India's opening match against Bangladesh, sharing a 213-run third-wicket stand with Ajinkya Rahane, which helped India successfully chase 280.[206] It was his 19th ODI century and his fifth in Bangladesh, making him the batsman with most ODI centuries in Bangladesh.[207] India were knocked out of the tournament after narrow losses against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, in which Kohli scored 48 and 5 respectively.
Dhoni returned from injury to captain the team for 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and Kohli was named vice-captain. In India's opening match of the tournament against Pakistan, Kohli top-scored with 36 not out to guide India to a seven-wicket win.[208] He scored 54 off 41 balls in the next game against West Indies and an unbeaten 57 from 50 balls against Bangladesh, both in successful run-chases.[209][210] In the semifinal, he made an unbeaten 72 in 44 deliveries to help India achieve the target of 173 with six wickets and five balls to spare.[211] He won the man of the match for this knock which he called "my best T20 innings".[212] India posted 130/4 in the final against Sri Lanka, in which Kohli scored 77 from 58 balls, and eventually lost the match by six wickets.[213] Kohli had made a total of 319 runs in the tournament at an average of 106.33, a record for most runs by an individual batsman in a single World Twenty20 tournament,[214] for which he won the Man of the Tournament award.[213]
Kohli and other senior players were rested for India's tour of Bangladesh ahead of the England tour. India conceded a 3–1 defeat in the five-match Test series against England despite leading it 1–0 after the first two Tests. Kohli fared poorly in the series averaging just 13.40 in 10 innings with a top score of 39.[215] He was dismissed for single-digit scores on six occasions in the series and was particularly susceptible to the swinging ball on off stump line, being dismissed several times edging the ball to the wicket-keeper or slip fielders. Man of the series James Anderson got Kohli's wicket four times, while Kohli's batting technique was questioned by analysts and former cricketers.[216][217] Geoffrey Boycott said, "Jimmy Anderson ate him for breakfast. Every time Kohli came in, all he did was bowl at off stump, around the corridor of uncertainty and Kohli nicked it. He is playing with his bat too far away from his pad. He has to look at video replays of his technique and get back to basics".[218] India won the ODI series that followed 3–1, but Kohli's struggles with the bat continued with an average of 18 in four innings.[219] In the one-off T20I, he scored 41-ball 66, his first fifty-plus score of the tour on the last match of the tour. India lost the match by three runs,[220] but Kohli reached the number one spot for T20I batsmen in the ICC rankings.[4]
Kohli had a successful time during India's home ODI series win over the West Indies in October 2014. His 62 in the second ODI at Delhi was his first fifty across Tests and ODIs in 16 innings since February,[221] and he stated that he got his "confidence back" with the innings.[222] He struck his 20th ODI hundred–127 runs in 114 balls–in the fourth match at Dharamsala. India registered a 59-run victory and Kohli was awarded man of the match.[223] Dhoni was rested for the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in November, enabling Kohli to lead the team for another full series. Kohli batted at 4 throughout the series and made scores of 22, 49, 53 and 66 in the first four ODIs, with India leading the series 4–0. In the fifth ODI at Ranchi, Kohli came in to bat with India at 14/2 in pursuit of 287. He made an unbeaten 139 off 126 balls to give his team a three-wicket win and a whitewash of Sri Lanka.[224] Kohli was awarded player of the series, and it was the second whitewash under his captaincy.[225] During the series he became the fastest batsman in the world to go past the 6000-run mark in ODIs.[226] With 1054 ODI runs at 58.55 in 2014, he became the second player in the world after Sourav Ganguly to make more than 1,000 runs in ODIs for four consecutive calendar years.[5]
Test captaincy
For the first Test of the Australian tour in December 2014, Dhoni was not part of the Indian team at Adelaide due to an injury, and Kohli took the reins as Test captain for the first time.[227] Kohli scored 115 in India's first innings, becoming the fourth Indian to score a hundred on Test captaincy debut.[228] In their second innings, India were set a target of 364 to be scored on the fifth day. Kohli came in to bat when the Indian innings was reduced to 57/2 and started batting aggressively. He put on 185 runs for the third wicket with M Vijay before Vijay's dismissal, which triggered a batting collapse. From 242/2, India were bowled out for 315 with Kohli's 141 off 175 balls being the top score.[229] Kohli noted that his team was looking for a win and not a draw, while also saying that it was "the best Test I have been part of".[230] Kohli's second innings ton was hailed by several Australian commentators as the finest fourth-innings performance they had ever seen in Australia.[231]Dhoni returned to the team as captain for the second match at Brisbane where Kohli scored 19 and 1 in a four-wicket defeat for India.[232] In the Melbourne Boxing Day Test, Kohli was India's top-scorer in both innings. He made his personal best Test score of 169 in the first innings while sharing a 262-run partnership with Rahane, India's biggest partnership outside Asia in ten years.[233] Kohli followed it with a score of 54 in India's second innings on the fifth day, helping his team draw the Test match.[234] Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket at the conclusion of this match, and Kohli was appointed as the full-time Test captain ahead of the fourth Test at Sydney.[235] Captaining the Test team for the second time, Kohli hit 147 in the first innings of the match and became the first batsman in Test cricket history to score three hundreds in his first three innings as Test captain.[236] He was dismissed for 46 in the second innings and India hung in for another draw.[237] Kohli's total of 692 runs in four Tests was the most by any Indian batsman in a Test series in Australia.[236]
In January 2015, India failed to win a single match in the tri-nation ODI series against the hosts Australia and England. Kohli was unable to replicate his Test success in ODIs, failing to make a two-digit score in any of the four games. Kohli's ODI form did not improve in the lead-up to the World Cup, with scores of 18 and 5 in the warmup matches against Australia and Afghanistan respectively.
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In the first match of the World Cup against Pakistan at Adelaide, Kohli hit 107 in 126 balls, sharing 100-plus partnerships with both Dhawan and Raina, to help India set a total of 300 and win the match by 76 runs. For his knock he was awarded the man of the match award, his 20th in ODIs and first in a World Cup match.[238] He was dismissed for 46 in India's second match against South Africa after another century stand with opening batsman Dhawan. India went on to post 307 in 50 overs and register a 130-run victory in that match.[239] India batted second in their remaining four group matches in which Kohli scored 33*, 33, 44* and 38 against UAE, West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe respectively. India went on to secure wins in these four fixtures and top the Pool B points with an undefeated record.[240] In India's 109-run victory in the quarterfinal over Bangladesh, Kohli was dismissed by Rubel Hossain for 3 edging the ball to the wicket-keeper.[241] India were eliminated in the semifinal by Australia at Melbourne, where Kohli was dismissed for 1 off 13 balls, top-edging a short-pitched delivery from Mitchell Johnson.[242]
Kohli had a slump in form when India toured Bangladesh in June 2015. He contributed only 14 in the one-off Test which ended in a draw and averaged 16.33 in the ODI series which Bangladesh won 2–1.[243] Kohli ended his streak of low scores by scoring his 11th Test hundred in the first Test of the Sri Lankan tour which India lost. India came back and won the next two matches to seal the series 2–1, Kohli's first series win as Test captain and India's first away Test series win in four years.[244]
IPL career
In March 2008, Kohli was bought on a youth contract by the Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore for $30,000. He had an indifferent 2008 season, with a total of 165 runs in 12 innings at an average of 15.00 and a strike rate of 105.09.[245] He fared slightly better in the second season in which he made a total of 246 runs at 22.36, striking at over 112, while his team made it as far as the final.[246] In the 2010 season, Kohli was the third highest run-getter for his team with 307 runs, averaging 27.90 and improving his strike rate to 144.81.[247]Ahead of the 2011 season, Kohli was the only player retained by the Royal Challengers franchise. Kohli was made vice-captain of the team that year and also captained the team in a few matches when the regular skipper Daniel Vettori was injured. The Royal Challengers coach Ray Jennings opined that the 22-year-old would become the future captain of not only the franchise but also the Indian team.[248] Kohli was the second-highest run-getter of the season, only behind teammate Chris Gayle, and his team finished as runners-up of the IPL. Kohli accumulated a total of 557 runs at an average of 46.41 and a strike rate of over 121 including four fifties.[249] In the 2012 IPL, he was moderately successful, averaging 28 for his 364 runs.[250]
After Vettori's retirement, Kohli was appointed as the team's captain for the 2013 season. The Royal Challengers finished fifth on the league table that year, but Kohli found success with the bat. Averaging 45.28, he hit a total of 634 runs at a strike rate of over 138 including six fifties and a top-score of 99 and finished as the season's third-highest run-scorer.[251] Bangalore finished seventh in the next season in which Kohli made 359 runs at 27.61.[252] He found success with the bat in the 2015 IPL in which he led his team to the playoffs. He finished fifth on the season's leading run-getters list with 505 runs at an average of 45.90 and a strike rate of more than 130.[253]
Playing style
_(cropped).JPG)
Kohli playing the flick shot during the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Kohli is regarded as one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the world, especially while chasing.[270][271] In ODIs, he averages more than 61 in matches batting second as opposed to over 39 batting first.[272] 14 of his 23 hundreds have come in run-chases, only three fewer than Sachin Tendulkar who holds the record for most hundreds batting second.[273] Regarding his impressive record batting second, Kohli has said "I love the whole situation that comes with chasing. I like the challenge of testing myself, figuring out how to rotate strike, when to hit a boundary."[12]
Kohli is often compared to Tendulkar, due to their similar styles of batting, and is sometimes referred to as Tendulkar's "successor".[185][195] Many former cricketers expect Kohli to break Tendulkar's batting records.[274][275] Former West Indies great Vivian Richards, who is regarded as the most destructive batsman in cricket, stated that Kohli reminds him of himself.[160] In early-2015, Richards said Kohli was "already legendary" in the ODI format,[276] while former Australian cricketer Dean Jones called Kohli the "new king of world cricket".[277]
Kohli is noted for his on-field aggression and was described in the media as "brash" and "arrogant" during his early career.[267][278] He has got into confrontations with players and umpires on several occasions.[267][279][280] His aggressive attitude has been backed by many former cricketers,[281][282][283] while some have criticised it.[267][284][285] In 2012, Kohli had stated that he tries to limit his aggressive behavior but "the build-up and the pressure or the special occasions make it tough to control the aggression."[286]
Outside cricket
Kohli with his girlfriend and actress, Anushka Sharma.
Personal life
As of December 2015, Kohli is in a relationship with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.[287] The relationship has attracted substantial media attention.[288][289]Kohli has admitted that he is superstitious. He wears black wristbands as a cricket superstition; earlier, he used to wear the same pair of gloves with which he had "been scoring". Apart from a religious black thread, he has also been wearing a kara on his right arm since 2012.[290]
Commercial investments
According to Kohli, football is his second favourite sport.[291] In 2014, Kohli became a co-owner of Indian Super League club FC Goa. He stated that he invested in the club with the "keenness of football" and because he "wanted football to grow in India". He added, "It is also a business venture that I am looking at for the future. Cricket is not going to last forever so, whenever I am done, whenever I retire, I am keeping all my options open."[292]In November 2014, Kohli and Anjana Reddy's Universal Sportsbiz (USPL) launched a youth fashion brand 'WROGN'. The brand started to produce men's casual wear clothing in 2015 and has tied up with Myntra and Shopper's Stop.[293]
In 2015, Kohli invested ₹90 crore (US$13 million) to start a chain of gyms and fitness centres across the country. Launched under the name "Chisel", the chain of gyms is jointly owned by Kohli, Chisel India and CSE (Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment), the agency which manages Kohli's commercial interests.[294]
In September 2015, Kohli became a co-owner of the International Premier Tennis League franchise UAE Royals.[295]
Endorsements
Kohli was signed up by sports agent Bunty Sajdeh of Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment after the 2008 Under-19 World Cup. Sajdeh recalls, "I didn’t go after them after they became stars. In fact, I watched Virat at the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. I was mighty impressed with his attitude and the way he was marshalling his team. He had that spark. And I told Yuvi to set up the meeting."[296] Sajdeh manages Kohli's endorsement deals, along with those of other Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Murali Vijay. It was reported in 2013 that Kohli's brand endorsements were worth over ₹100 crore.[297] In 2014, American Appraisal estimated Kohli's brand value at US$56.4 million placing him fourth on the list of India's most valued celebrity brands.[298] His bat deal with MRF is said to be the costliest deal in Indian cricket history.[296] In 2014, the UK-based magazine SportsPro rated Kohli as the second most marketable athlete in the world behind only Lewis Hamilton, placing him above the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt.[7]As of January 2015, Kohli has endorsement deals with 11 brands: PepsiCo, Boost, Munch (from Nestle), Clear hair care (Unilever), Royal Challenge (from United Spirits), Adidas, MRF, Mattel, Oakley, TVS Motors and Vicks.[299] The brands Kohli previously endorsed include Fastrack (from Titan), Sangam Suitings, Fair & Lovely, Herbalife, Flying Machine, Red Chief Shoes, Toyota Motors, Celkon Mobiles, Cinthol (from Godrej) and 3C Company.[300][301]
Charity
In March 2013, Kohli started a charity foundation called 'Virat Kohli Foundation' (VKF). The organisation aims at helping underprivileged kids and conducts events to raise funds for the charity.[302] According to Kohli, the foundation works with select NGOs to "create awareness, seek support and raise funds for the various causes they endorse and the philanthropic work they engage in."[303] In May 2014, eBay and Save the Children India conducted a charity auction with VKF, and directed the funds generated towards the education and healthcare of underprivileged children.[304]Records and achievements
- Fastest century
- Fastest century by an Indian batsman in ODIs (in 52 balls)[305]
- Milestones
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 1,000 runs in ODIs[306]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 3,000 runs in ODIs[307]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 4,000 runs in ODIs[308]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 5,000 runs in ODIs[309]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 6,000 runs in ODIs[310]
- Fastest Cricketer to reach 7,000 runs in ODIs[311]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 10 centuries in ODIs and second fastest overall behind Hashim Amla.[312]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 15 centuries in ODIs and second fastest overall behind Hashim Amla.[313]
- Fastest Indian cricketer to reach 20 centuries in ODIs and second fastest overall behind Hashim Amla.[314]
- Fastest cricketer to reach 1,000 runs in T20Is[315]
- Fastest cricketer to reach 24 centuries in ODIs.[316]
- Most runs in a calendar year
- Most ODI runs in 2010 by an Indian cricketer[317]
- Most ODI runs in 2011 by any cricketer[318]
- Most ODI runs in 2012 by an Indian cricketer[319]
- Most ODI runs in 2013 by an Indian cricketer[320]
- Most ODI runs in 2014 by an Indian cricketer[321]
- Most Test runs in 2012 by an Indian cricketer[322]
- Captaincy records
- First player to score three centuries in his first three innings as Test captain[236]
Statistics
Test cricket
| ODI cricket
|
Awards
- ICC ODI Player of the Year: 2012[324]
- ICC World ODI XI: 2012, 2014
- BCCI's Polly Umrigar Award for international cricketer of the year: 2011–12, 2014–15
- Arjuna Award: 2013[6]
- Ceat International Cricketer of the Year: 2011–12, 2013–14[325]
Test cricket
Man of the match awards
| No. | Opponent | Venue | Date | Match performance | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New Zealand |  M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | 31 August–3 September 2012 | 1st innings: 103 (193 balls: 14x4 1x6)2nd innings: 51 (82 balls: 9x4) | Won | [145] |
| 2 |  South Africa | New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 18–22 December 2013 | 1st innings: 119 (181 balls: 18x4)2nd innings: 96 (193 balls: 9x4) | Drawn | [196] |
ODI cricket
Man of the match awards
| No. | Opponent | Venue | Date | Match performance | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  West Indies | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 30 September 2009 | 79* (104 balls: 9x4, 2x6) | Won | [61] |
| 2 |  Bangladesh | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka | 11 January 2010 | 102* (95 balls: 11x4); 1 catch | Won | [66] |
| 3 |  Australia | APCA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam | 20 October 2010 | 118 (121 balls: 11x4, 1x6) | Won | [76] |
| 4 | New Zealand | Nehru Stadium, Guwahati, Guwahati | 28 November 2010 | 105 (104 balls: 10x4) | Won | [79] |
| 5 | West Indies |  Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | 8 June 2011 | 81 (103 balls: 6x4, 1x6) | Won | [97] |
| 6 |  England | Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi | 17 October 2011 | 112* (98 balls: 16x4); 2 catches | Won | [108] |
| 7 | West Indies | APCA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam | 2 December 2011 | 117 (123 balls: 14x4) | Won | [115] |
| 8 |  Sri Lanka | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | 28 February 2012 | 133* (86 balls: 16x4 2x6) | Won | [129] |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka | 13 March 2012 | 108 (120 balls: 7x4); 2 catches | Won | [136] |
| 10 |  Pakistan | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka | 18 March 2012 | 183 (148 balls: 22x4 1x6); 2 catches | Won | [138] |
| 11 | Sri Lanka | Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota | 21 July 2012 | 106 (113 balls: 9x4); 1 catch | Won | [141] |
| 12 | Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 31 July 2012 | 128* (119 balls: 12x4 1x6); 1 catch | Won | [142] |
| 13 | England | JSCA International Cricket Stadium, Ranchi | 19 January 2013 | 77* (79 balls: 9x4 2x6) | Won | [158] |
| 14 | West Indies | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | 5 July 2013 | 102 (83 balls: 13x4, 2x6) | Won | [171] |
| 15 |  Zimbabwe | Harare Sports Club, Harare | 24 July 2013 | 115 (108 balls: 13x4, 1x6) | Won | [175] |
| 16 | Australia | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 30 October 2013 | 115* (66 balls: 18x4, 1x6); 2 catches | Won | [182] |
| 17 | West Indies | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi | 21 November 2013 | 86 (84 balls: 9x4, 2x6) | Won | [186] |
| 18 | Bangladesh | Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah | 26 February 2014 | 136 (122 balls: 16x4, 2x6) | Won | [206] |
| 19 | West Indies | Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala | 17 October 2014 | 127 (114 balls: 13x4, 3x6) | Won | [223] |
| 20 | Pakistan | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 15 February 2015 | 107 (126 balls: 8x4) | Won | [238] |
| 21 | South Africa | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 22 October 2015 | 138 (140 balls: 6x4, 5x6) | Won | [326] |
Man of the series awards
| No. | Series | Season | Series performance | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India in Sri Lanka | 2012 | 296 runs at 74.00 (5 matches) | India won the series 4–1 | [143] |
| 2 | West Indies in India | 2013–14 | 204 runs at 68.00 (3 matches) | India won the series 2–1 | [189] |
| 3 | Sri Lanka in India | 2014–15 | 329 runs at 82.25 (5 matches) | India won the series 5–0 | [224] |
T20I cricket
Man of the match awards
| No. | Opponent | Venue | Date | Match performance | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Afghanistan | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 19 September 2012 | 50 (39 balls: 4x4, 2x6) | Won | [149] |
| 2 | Pakistan | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 30 September 2012 | 78* (61 balls: 8x4, 2x6) | Won | [150] |
| 3 | South Africa | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka | 4 April 2014 | 72* (44 balls: 5x4, 2x6) | Won | [211] |
Man of the series awards
| No. | Series | Season | Series performance | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India in Sri Lanka | 2012 | 68 runs at 68.00 (1 match) | India won the series 1–0 | [144] |
| 2 | 2014 ICC World Twenty20 | 2013–14 | 319 runs at 106.33 (6 matches) | India finished runners-up | [213] |
posted by Tamizhan Raja @ 10:18 PM
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