Virat Kohli, Indian cricket team skipper, celebrates 12 years of international cricket dominance

Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket team skipper and current captain of Royals Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, is acknowledged as one of the greatest batsman in the world. However, the foundations of his greatness were laid on August 18, 2008 when he made his international debut against the Sri Lanka cricket team at Dambulla. Opening the batting with his Delhi team-mate Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli was dismissed for 12 by Nuwan Kulasekara as the Sri Lankan cricket team won the match by eight wickets. After a slow start, Virat Kohli responded with a fifty in his fourth match. Since then, he has become one of the greatest players in the last decade. 


From the humble start in Dambulla, Virat Kohli accumulated runs on a consistent basis. Virat Kohli also became the ultimate chase-master in ODIs, averaging close to 100 and ensuring India rarely lost in a chase of over 300 during the last couple of years. Virat Kohli is the only player to average over 50 in all three formats and he is on the cusp of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI tally of centuries. On the occasion of his 12th year in international cricket, here is a look at some of the most memorable moments in the life of Virat Kohli. 

1. First signs of mental toughness 

Kohli had just begun his cricketing journey in 2006 while playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. However, in the second match against Karnataka, tragedy struck when he lost his father. Showing immense mental strength, Kohli arrived at the ground at 7:30 AM and smashed 90 to save Delhi. He would then proceed to attend to his father’s funeral. The ability to be determined in the face of tragedy showed his nature as a ferocious competitor. 

2. The arrival of greatness – Hobart 2012

It was a do-or-die game for India in the CB tri-series in Australia in 2012. Facing Sri Lanka in Hobart, the Indian cricket team had to chase down 321 in 40 overs in order to stay in contention for the final. In stepped Virat Kohli and he proceeded to stamp his authority on the game. He targeted the best death bowler in the world, Lasith Malinga, for punishment. In one over, he blasted four boundaries and a six as he reached to his century off just 76 balls as India won the match inside 40 overs. Malinga was never the same again. Kohli’s savage knock cemented his reputation as one of the best. 

3. 973 Bradmanesque runs

Sir Don Bradman held the record for most runs in a series with 974 in the five Tests in 1930. Virat Kohli almost matched that with a superhuman performance during the 2016 Indian Premier League. Kohli blasted four centuries in the entire season and his exploits helped Royal Challengers Bangalore top the table and reach the final. It seemed Kohli was determined to break Royal Challengers Bangalore’s jinx of not having won the title but an equally determined Sunrisers Hyderabad team spoiled the party as they won the final at the M Chinnaswamy stadium by eight runs. Even Kohli’s Bradmanesque batting was not enough but it was sublime to watch. 

4. Breaking down Australia in Mohali

Like Sachin Tendulkar, the other great batsman we had from India, Kohli reserved his best for Australia, be it ODIs, Tests or T20Is. In the 2016 World T20 in India, they squared off against Australia in a knock-out match in Mohali. Kohli had already hurt Australia by scoring three consecutive fifties Down Under as India whitewashed them 3-0 in the previous series. Australia made 160 and India needed 39 runs off the last three overs. Kohli paced his innings well by reaching fifty but when the finish line approached, he butchered Australia. James Faulkner was hit for a six and two fours while he smashed Nathan Coulter-Nile for four consecutive boundaries. The intense running between the wickets between him and MS Dhoni was a sight as India won the match by five wickets. Kohli termed the knock of 82 as the best he had ever played. 

5. The love-affair with Adelaide

It is not often that Indian batsmen have an overseas venue as their favorite playground but Kohli’s love affair with Adelaide is on a different level altogether. His first major knock at the international Test level came with a century in Adelaide in 2012 in a series which India lost 4-0. In 2014, he smashed 115 and 141 at the same venue as India came agonizingly close to beating Australia. His highest score of 90* for a long time was at this venue while he smashed a magnificent 107 against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup. In 2019, once again in an ODI chase, Kohli showed his class as he blasted his eighth century and second in Adelaide as India, boosted by MS Dhoni’s finishing prowess defeated Australia with four balls to spare.  
 
In Virat Kohli’s 12th year, the Indian public would be eager to see him continue on his record-breaking run. Fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore will be praying that this is the year that the team finally wins the Indian Premier League title.