In the realm of cricketing history, August 18th, 2008 marked a pivotal moment as a young Virat Kohli embarked on his international journey, donning the Indian cap in an ODI against Sri Lanka. The spark of his potential had already ignited when he steered India’s U19 team to victory in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup just months before, a harbinger of the brilliance that was to follow.
Sharing the stage with his fellow Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, Virat’s debut was humble, scoring just 12 runs while opening the batting. However, it was a mere prologue to the tapestry of achievements he was to weave over the years. The raw numbers of his early days reveal glimpses of promise – 159 runs in five matches at a steady average of 31.80, crowned with his first half-century in the fifth ODI. Yet, even his staunchest supporters couldn’t fathom the staggering heights he would ultimately scale.
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Virat Kohli: The Test Maestro
Year after year, Virat Kohli crafted a narrative of unwavering consistency across all formats, solidifying his spot in the modern-day ‘Fab Four,’ a pantheon of batting excellence featuring Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. The pages of Test cricket unveiled Kohli’s transformation from a rocky start to a red-ball maestro. Emerging from a chastening debut series where he mustered a mere 76 runs across five innings, he emerged as a crusader of the Test format.
In 111 Tests, he amassed 8,676 runs at an average of 49.29, embellishing his record with 29 centuries, including seven double hundreds. His captaincy, too, etched a legacy, leading India in 68 Tests with a 58.82% win rate. Under his baton, India clinched triumphs on foreign soil, forging a formidable pace battery and hoisting the ICC World Test Championship mace aloft for five consecutive years.
Kohli in ODIs
The ODI canvas saw Virat Kohli flourish even more brilliantly. In 275 ODIs, he sculpted 12,898 runs at a remarkable average of 57.32, studded with 46 centuries and 65 fifties. Standing second only to Sachin Tendulkar in India’s ODI pantheon, Kohli held aloft the banner of consistency with the highest average among players with over 150 matches.
Kohli’s leadership acumen painted a vivid story too – 95 matches as captain, boasting a 68.42% win rate. He orchestrated India’s triumph in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. While his World Cup record brimmed with brilliance, critics pointed to moments of inconsistency in knockout encounters.
T20 Powerhouse
In the dynamic T20 arena, Virat Kohli emerged as a potent force. Across 115 T20Is, he amassed 4,008 runs at an average of 52.73 and a strike rate of 137.96. The highest run-scorer in T20I history, he donned the ‘Player of the Tournament’ mantle in the 2014 and 2016 ICC T20 World Cups, elevating his status.
However, it’s his all-format prowess that truly defines him. In a staggering 501 matches, Virat Kohli amassed 25,582 runs at a captivating average of 53.63, adorned with 76 centuries and 131 fifties. He stands as India’s second-highest run-scorer and fifth in the world, inching towards Sachin’s illustrious records.
These remarkable feats culminated in the ICC ‘Player of the Decade’ accolade for 2011-2020. Virat Kohli’s journey is an ode to unyielding consistency, an unswerving commitment to excellence that has etched his name among cricket’s pantheon of legends. summarize this under 30 words
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