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Virat Kohli (born 5 November 1988) is an Indian international cricketer and former captain of the India national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in modern cricket, he is known for his aggressive playing style, consistency across all formats, and fierce leadership. Kohli has scored over 25,000 international runs and holds numerous batting records in ODIs, Tests, and T20Is[1]. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award, and was named the ICC Player of the Decade (2010–2020)[2].

Virat Kohli
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Born 05 November 1988 (age 36)
Delhi, India
Nationality Indian
Occupation Cricketer
Known for Batting across formats, Indian captaincy, centuries
Notable works 2011 World Cup, 2018 Australia Test Series, ICC Player of the Decade
Awards Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award
Website Instagram

Early Life

Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi, India, into a Punjabi Hindu family. His father, Prem Kohli, was a criminal lawyer, and his mother, Saroj Kohli, is a homemaker. From a very young age, Virat showed a deep interest in cricket. His family recognized his talent early and enrolled him in the West Delhi Cricket Academy in 1998 when he was just 9 years old[3]. His coach, Rajkumar Sharma, played a vital role in shaping his technique and discipline.

Despite personal tragedy, including the death of his father in 2006, Kohli continued to pursue cricket with unwavering focus β€” famously playing a Ranji match for Delhi the very next day[4].

Education

Virat Kohli attended Vishal Bharti Public School in Delhi during his early years. Recognizing his cricketing potential, his family moved him to Saviour Convent School in Paschim Vihar[5].

Career

Virat Kohli’s career took off after leading India to victory in the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia[6]. He made his ODI debut in the same year against Sri Lanka and was part of the squad that won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup[7].

IPL Career

Kohli has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL since 2008. He became the full-time captain in 2013 and led the side till 2021[8]. He scored a record 973 runs in a single IPL season (2016), a feat yet to be matched[9].

Captaincy

Kohli took over India’s Test captaincy in 2014 and later led the team in all formats[10]. Under his leadership, India won their first-ever Test series in Australia in 2018–19[11].

Achievements

  • ICC Player of the Decade (2010–2020)[2]
  • Padma Shri (2017)[12]
  • Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (2018)[13]
  • Only Indian with a century in T20 World Cup chase (2022)[14]

Records

  • Fastest to 8,000 – 13,000 ODI runs[15]
  • Most runs in IPL history[16]

Personal Life

Virat Kohli married actress Anushka Sharma in December 2017 in Tuscany, Italy[17]. The couple is known for their work in charity and co-runs the Virat Kohli Foundation, which promotes youth sports[18].

References