Virat Kohli: One of the Greatest Cricketers of All the Times
Famous, decent and most ambitious cricketer in Indian history is Virat Kohli. Known for his exceptional batting skills and fierce competitiveness, he is one of the most celebrated cricketers of his generation. He is an international cricketer and plays Test and ODI cricket for the Indian national team. He managed his captaincy in all formats of the game and took retirements from the T20I format, following India's win at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Being the one of the greatest batsmen of all the time, he holds the highest IPL run-scorer record, ranks third in T20I, third in ODI, and stands the fourth-highest in international cricket. He also ranks second for the most international centuries overall and holds the record for the most centuries in ODI cricket.
His influence on Indian and International Cricket
Considered as one of the greatest batsmen of all time and the greatest in the modern era, he performed outstandingly in almost all the matches. Due to his keen performance and enthusiasm, he was a key member of the Indian cricket team and won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy and 2024 T20 World Cup.
Under his captaincy, India won ICC Test Mace thrice in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
He ranked number one in ICC rankings for ODI batsmen in 2013. The list goes on. Moreover, he contributed and earned fame in international cricket. Kohli earned the reputation of the most decorated player in the history of International Cricket as he has collected 10 ICC Awards.
Champion of Game: Kohli as A Captain, Batsman, and Inspiring Leader
Undoubtedly, Virat Kohli has had a great influence on the Cricket World and played himself as an amazing captain, batsman, and true leader. As a caption, Kohli led the Indian team from 2014 to 2022 and bagged overseas victories, including a historic series win in Australia.
Ricky Ponting, an Australian coach, praised Kohli’s captaincy for winning a test series in Australia. He said, “Their fast-bowling depth is great. The leadership in the last 6-7 years has been strong. Going back to Kohli's start of captaincy, played a big role in turning the cricket around and Dravid has continued the same in the recent four years. The influence of someone like Kohli around a team would be great and they've got star players.”
Roots & Beginnings: Kohli’s Early Life and Family Background
Having deep passion for Cricket, he started his journey at a very early stage and showed strong ethic and unwavering dedication to the sport. Furthermore, his family has played a significant role in pursuing his dreams. Whatever he did in his early years shaped his career and made him the icon he is today.
Birth & Family Background: The Foundation of His Journey
Born on November 5, 1988, Virat Kohli belonged to a Punjabi Hindu family and spent his formative years in Uttam Nagar, Delhi. His father was Prem Nath Kohli and worked as a criminal lawyer, and his mother, Saroj Kohli, was a housewife. He has two siblings Vikas, an older brother, and Bhawna, an older sister.
He completed his early education from Vishal Bharti Public School. Tragically, his father passed away on December 18, 2006 due to a cerebral attack. His father played a crucial role in diverting him towards cricket. After his death, he dedicated himself fully in sport according to his mother.
Early Passion for Cricket and Rise Through Junior Cricket
Virat Kohli showed undeniable passion for cricket at a young age and created his destiny based on his natural talent and competitive spirit. With rigorous training and standout performances in local matches, he began his journey in junior cricket. Even after having required abilities, he faced setbacks and didn’t secure a place in the under-14 Delhi team. However, he found his entry via the under-15 Delhi team.
Kohli is trained as an enterprising batsman and acquired technical abilities with the attitude of playing like a master player. His batting style and approach constantly compared with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Also, he was considered to surpass Tendulkar’s records in the future.
Kohli’s Entry Into Professional Cricket & Rise Through the Ranks
Virat Kohli made an impressive debut via the Delhi Senior team in domestic cricket and entered into professional cricket. In 2018, he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka at the age of 19. However, his debut performance was not good as he only scored 12 runs. This beginning was the start of his journey for professional cricket.
In 2012, he was appointed vice-captain for the Asia Cup. But, the team failed to reach the final. He scored the highest ODI score of 183 runs against Pakistan and became the highest run scorer. After the retirement of his idol Tendulkar, he stepped into the pivotal number four batting position in Tests. At Johannesburg, he showed his worth by scoring 119 and 96 in a drawn Test against. Over the years, Kohli has established himself as a prominent player for the Indian cricket team.
Virat Kohli Net Worth
With $26M net worth, he became the world’s highest paid athlete's earnings in 2020. As we know very well, he is one of the best batsmen in the world. Currently, he captions the Indian national cricket team. According to data, Kohli is one of just three Indian Cricketers awarded the prestigious nation's A+ contracts, reflecting a guarantee of an annual salary of $1 million in 2020.
Well, he earns Rs 7 crore annually via his Grade A+ contract with the BCCI. Moreover, he earns through matches as follows: Rs 15 Lakh for Tests, Rs 6 Lakh for ODIs, and 3 Lakh for T20Is. His salary is also backed by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which is 15 crore per season. Kohli is also the face of many famous brands and charges 7.50 crore to Rs 10 crore per endorsement. Moreover, his huge fan following on Instagram adds 8.9 crore per Instagram post and Rs 2.5 crore per post on X.
Rise in International Cricket
It is really amazing to witness the rise of Virat Kohli from domestic to interracial cricket. Recently, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar becoming the fattest cricketer to hit 27,000 international runs in 594 innings in a test match against Bangladesh in Kanpur. His passion, consistency, and hunger to become the best are inspiring to the cricket world.
Debut in International Cricket
If we talk about the performance of Virat Kohli in international cricket, it is a bit complicated to describe his dedication and enthusiasm. His fame started to touch the peak when he made his one-day international debut against Sri Lanka in August 18, 2008 at Dambulla and T20 against Zimbabwe at Harare in June 12, 2010.
Now, he has played over 35 one-day hundreds and many other fine performances, establishing his name by scoring 183 against Pakistan in 2012. He boasts an impressive average of over 50, with 17 centuries and 14 fifties in 59 Test matches. As of January 2019, he topped the ranking of batsmen in the world in both the ODI and test formats.
Beginning into Professional Cricket & Rise Through Ranks
Kohli’s journey for professional cricket started in 2008 when he captained the Indian U-19 team and won the World Cup. In the same year, he made his debut against Sri Lanka at the age of 19. And, recently he completed his 16 years in International Cricket. From 2010 to 2011, Kohli played in a tri-nation ODI tournament in Bangladesh. Kohli became vice-captain of the Indian cricket team in 2012. For the Commonwealth Bank triangular series, he made two fifties in the first seven matches. He became the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup in 2014.
Due to his outstanding performance, he became the first player to score 1,000 ODI runs in 11 innings in 2018. He was also named the ODI Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year by the ICC. He scored 1,000 runs in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and became the second player to hit that score. He was also named to the ICC T20I Team of the Year.
Lifestyle of Virat Kohli
Because of his discipline and fitness-focused lifestyle, he gained huge fame and became one of the world’s top cricketers. To maintain good health, Virat Kohli follows a strict diet and avoids the consumption of junk foods. He is passionate about fashion and owns a clothing line called Wrogn. His lifestyle mirrors his commitment to excellence both professionally and personally.
Virat Kohli's Impressive Car Collection
While checking out his car collection, you will be surprised by how much wealth he possesses. Due to his impressive success in the Cricket world, he is considered as one of the richest athletes in the world. As you know, Kohli is the face of over 40 brands and earns millions every year.
His car collection reflects the list of most luxurious cars, including Audi Q7, Audi RS5, Audi A8 L W12, Audi R8 LMX, Land Rover Vogue, Bentley Flying Spur, Bentley Continental GT, Toyota Fortuner, and Renault Duster. Having an Audi R8 LMx is like Kohinoor in his car collection as the German Car manufacturer only produced 99 examples.
Bike Collections
Don’t be surprised if you know about the Virat Kohli’s bike collections, compromising the world's best bikes parked in his home. His bike collection reflects his love for speed and style. He is the proud owner of premium bikes, including Kawasaki Ninja H2R, Invincible Triumph Rocket III, Reliable Suzuki Hayabusa, Adamant Honda Fireblade, Trailblazer Ducati Multistrada 1200, and Hero Xtreme 200R.
He has a wonderful bike collection, which represents a beautiful blend of modern engineering and timeless style, intertwining with his dynamic personality on and off the field.
Education of Virat Kohli
Born November 05, 1988, Virat Kohli attended Vishal Bharti Public School in Delhi and completed his early education. His family has father, Prem Nath Kohli, who worked as a criminal lawyer and mother, Saroj Kohli, served as a housewife. According to his family, he developed interest in cricket when he was three-year old.
Virat Kohli's Early Schooling
As you know, he completed his education from Delhi. Due to his interest in Cricket, his father enrolled him in the West Delhi Cricket Academy (WDCA), which created in 1998 at the age of 9. After watching his abilities, his neighbors suggested that he must be shifted to a professional cricket academy as he was not meant for gully cricket.
While he continued his education, he primarily focused on cricket and worked on his abilities. Keeping himself engaged in extensive training sessions, he dedicatedly worked on his cricket and balanced academics. Because of his disciplined approach, he has contributed to his performance and destined his journey.
Kohli's College Years and Focus on Cricket Career
During his childhood, his father played a crucial role in his cricket training. While he was in educational tenure, he didn’t like mathematics and struggled to clear the subject. He was fond of history and keen to know the past. Even having a strong family educational background, Virat had to drop out of school after only completing his 11th standard. This was the beginning of his sporting journey as he started playing for the India Under-19 at the age of 16.
By the time he reached college age, he had established his name in the cricket world and represented India in various youth-level cricket tournaments. Therefore, he had to let go of his college education to become an amazing international cricketer.
