After stepping away from T20Is and Test cricket, Kohli turns his focus to the ODI World Cup.
Exactly 18 years ago, Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli began his international career, making his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in 2008.
Kohli, then a young opening batter, faced 22 balls and spent 33 minutes at the crease before Nuwan Kulasekara dismissed him in the eighth over for 12 runs. The MS Dhoni-led Indian side was bowled out for 146, with Muttiah Muralitharan and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis taking three wickets each. Sri Lanka went on to secure a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
What followed was the beginning of one of the greatest careers in cricket history.
Over the next 18 years, Kohli established himself as one of cricket’s most prolific batters, rewriting records across formats and earning a place among the game’s all-time greats. His remarkable consistency, hunger for runs and ability to deliver on the biggest stages have defined an extraordinary international career.
One of the defining moments of Kohli’s career came in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, when he scored his 50th ODI century to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record for the most hundreds in the format.
Kohli’s achievements extend far beyond his century tally. He was named the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Decade for 2011-2020 and has earned a reputation as one of the greatest chase masters in limited-overs cricket. His ability to pace run chases under immense pressure and consistently deliver for India has become a defining feature of his career.
Illustrious journey
For much of his international career, Kohli embraced the challenge of performing across all three formats. In the later stages, however, his focus has shifted towards longevity, fitness and maintaining the level of concentration required to compete at the highest level.
He played a pivotal role in India’s triumphant 2024 ICC T20 World Cup campaign, producing a match-winning 76 in the final against South Africa and earning the Player of the Match award. Following India’s title triumph, Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals and later stepped away from Test cricket, leaving ODI cricket as his sole international format.
Kohli’s focus is now firmly on ODI cricket and the 2027 World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Stepping away from T20Is and Tests has enabled the veteran batter to manage his workload more effectively and dedicate greater attention to the 50-over format. Kohli has consistently emphasised the importance of fitness, preparation and discipline as he seeks to remain at the highest level of the game.
