VIRAT KOHLI THE RUN MACHINE

The greatest cricket player in today’s time; Virat Kohli. He has inspired many players and taken the cricket world by storm. The capital of India, Delhi produced the best player in his era. Virat Kohli all of 30 has made heads turn with his trailblazing ways. He started playing cricket in his gully, like any other quintessential middle-class Indian kid. His playing caught the eyes of his neighbors and parents alike, he was soon enrolled in a cricket academy for training. His coach exclaimed it was difficult to take him off the pitch even after practice.

Kohli first played for Delhi in the Under-15 team in Oct ’03 for the Polly-Umrigar Trophy. 2003-04 saw Kohli become the captain of the Polly-Umrigar Trophy team. He was always a run-getter and a force to be reckoned with. In July 2006, he was selected for India Under-19 for its tour of England. The coach of the Under-19 team Lalchand Rajput exclaimed that “Kohli showed strong technical skills against both pace and spin.” In December of 2006, he shocked the nation with his dedication to the sport when he went from his game against Karnataka to his father’s funeral. He was praised for his commitment and determination towards the sport and the team. His mother said “Virat changed a bit after that day. Overnight he became a much more matured person. He took every match seriously. He hated being on the bench. It’s as if his life hinged totally on cricket after that day. Now, he looked like he was chasing his father’s dream which was his own too.”

Virat Kohli was known to be a very arrogant player with the shorter versions of the game bringing out the angry young man in him. Both in the IPL and the international level he had earned himself the tag of being an aggressor with the bad & with his words. He has since changed and matured to become the captain of the Indian team. He was the successor to MS Dhoni which are big shoes to fill.  He has led his team with flawless captaincy and fervor. Virat Kohli did the unthinkable and led his team to victory in Australia last year and for the first time in 70 years, a foreign country won on Australian soil. His record overseas has been impeccable as he continues to lead the side.

For a 30-year-old, Virat Kohli has achieved immense fame in the cricketing world. He has built his way up from scratch and proven time and again that he is a player that puts his money where his mouth is. He is a player that will always be a flash of lighting for all to see!

Let’s take a look at his long list of records:

• The first cricketer to be awarded the top three ICC awards (Cricketer of the year, Test cricketer of the year and ODI cricketer of the year) in a single year.

Fastest century

• Fastest century by an Indian cricketer in ODIs (52 balls).

Milestones

• Fastest Indian to reach 1,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and third fastest in the world to reach 5,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 6,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 7,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest player in the world to reach 8,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest player in the world to reach 9,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest player in the world to reach 10,000 runs in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 10 centuries in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 15 centuries in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 20 centuries in ODIs.
• Fastest Indian and second fastest in the world to reach 25 centuries in ODIs.
• Fastest in the world to reach 30 centuries in ODIs.
• Fastest in the world to reach 35 centuries in ODIs.
• The second fastest in the world to reach 1,000 runs in T20Is.
• Fastest in the world to reach 15,000 international runs.
• A joint-fastest batsman with Hashim Amla to reach 50 centuries across all forms of international cricket (348 innings).
• The only batsman in history to average more than 50 in Tests, ODIs and T20Is simultaneously; also possesses the highest combined average across all formats among Test players who have played in at least two formats.
• Highest historic rating points in the ICC rankings by an Indian batsman in Tests (937 points), ODIs (911 points) and T20Is (897 points) – achieved on 23 August 2018, 16 February 2018 and 7 September 2014 respectively.
• The fastest batsman, in terms of innings, to score 17,000 runs in international cricket (363).
• Crossed 900 rating points in the ICC rankings in both Tests and ODIs – one amongst five batsmen to have done so and only the second batsman after AB De Villiers to do it simultaneously.
• First batsman to score 500 runs in a bilateral ODI series.
• Fastest in the world to score 2,000 runs in terms of innings in T20Is (56).
• First Indian cricketer to score three successive centuries in ODIs.