Talismanic cricketer Virat Kohli celebrates his 37th birthday on Wednesday (November 5). The modern day legend boasts of incredible numbers as he enters the twilight of his international career. Kohli has won almost every ICC tournament, barring the World Test Championship, in his illustrious career, the glimpses of which began right from his days as a youngster who led India to a ICC U-19 World Cup title in Kuala Lumpur.
Having now announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is, Kohli remains focused on the 50-over format with ambitions to play and lift the second World Cup with India. As the legendary cricketer celebrates his 37th birthday, we take a look at his staggering numbers across formats...
Test ambassador with record-breaking highs
Kohli has 123 Test appearances in which he amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, which includes 30 centuries and 31 fifties and a best score of 254*. He is India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format.
His best years in Test cricket runs from 2016 to 2019. During this period, Kohli scored 4,208 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 66.79, which includes 16 centuries and 10 fifties, and seven double tons, the most by a captain in Test cricket.
He turned out to be India's greatest Test captain, with 40 wins, 17 losses and 11 draws in 68 Tests. Seven of his Test wins came in South Africa, England, and New Zealand (SENA) nations, the most by an Indian captain.
As a captain, he registered 5,864 runs at an average of 54.80, the most by an Indian captain and fourth overall, with 20 centuries and 18 fifties. Also under his leadership, India attained the number one rank in Test and held on to it for 43 months from October 2016 to May 2020.
An ODI titan
If his numbers in Tests are good, it gets even better when we switch focus to the 50-over format. In 305 ODIs, he has scored 14,255 runs at an average of 57.71, with 51 centuries (most by a player in ODIs) and 75 fifties and a best score of 183. He is the second-highest run-getter in ODIs of all time.
Kohli is fondly regarded as a 'Chasemaster' and holds the record for most runs and centuries, with 6,072 runs in 108 matches at a mind-boggling average of 89.29, including 24 centuries and 27 in 102 innings during successful run-chases in ODIs.
He is the fastest to achieve milestones of 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, 13,000, and 14,000 runs in ODI cricket in the format's history.
Kohli, during the 2023 World Cup scaled new heights as an ODI batter, having registered the best-ever campaign by a batter, with 765 runs in 11 matches, averaging over 95, including three centuries and six fifties, with best score of 117 coming in semifinals against New Zealand at Mumbai, which happened to be his 50th ODI ton, making him the first to reach the milestone. He won the 'Player of the Tournament' award in India's heartbreaking runners-up finish.
An all-season T20I batter
With 4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of over 137, including a century and 38 fifties in 117 innings, Kohli was one of India's most reliable batters in the shortest format and is currently the third-highest run-getter in the format.
In this format as well, he boasts of an excellent chasing record, with 1,651 runs in 42 matches and 39 innings at an astonishing average of 78.61, a strike-rate of over 135 and 16 half-centuries. From Mohali to Melbourne, Kohli has been the brains behind some of the format's most iconic chases.
An ICC event giant
Kohli has conquered it all in the limited-overs ICC events, with a 50-over and T20 World Cup each and two ICC Champions Trophies as a part of the Indian team. Individually, he is the only player with three 'Player of the Tournament' honours in ICC events.
He is the highest run-getter across ICC CWC, T20 WC and Champions Trophy combined with 3,834 runs in 90 matches and 87 innings at an average of 61.33, including six tons and 33 fifties.
IPL heroics
Kohli is an example of what unwavering loyalty. Having spent 18 years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since the tournament's inception back in 2008, the man in the number 18 shirt ended his wait for an IPL title this year.
He is the top run-getter and century-getter in the tournament's history, with 8,661 runs at an average of 39.54 in 267 matches, including eight tons and 63 fifties in 259 innings. His peak as an IPL batter came in 2016, when he registered the best-ever campaign by a batter, scoring 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.40 and a strike rate of over 152, with four centuries and seven fifties, winning the 'Orange Cap' for most runs.
He won the Orange Cap once again last year, with 741 runs in 15 matches, averaging 61.75, striking at over 154, with a century and five fifties to his name.
-with ANI inputs
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