Virat Kohli completes 15 years in international cricket: Key stats
Indian cricket's superstar Virat Kohli has completed 15 years of international cricket. He made his debut for India on this day back in 2008 against Sri Lanka in an ODI match. Since then, he has not looked back with some outstanding knocks and innumerable records, he has etched himself in the cricketing folklore. We will decode his incredible stats.
Why does this story matter?
Kohli is amongst the greatest cricketers to grace the game in this generation. The 34-year-old is still going strong and has inspired millions of people with his exceptional work ethic, grit and determination. He has been a stalwart for Indian cricket now for 15 long years and looking at his fitness, there's plenty more to come in the upcoming years from India's batting icon.
Second-highest run-scorer for India in ODIs
Kohli is India's second-highest run-scorer in ODIs with 12,898 runs in 275 matches at an average of 57.32. He is only behind Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs. Overall, Kohli is the fifth-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket behind Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), Ricky Ponting (13,704), and Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430). Kohli has 46 centuries and 65 fifties.
Highest run-scorer in T20Is
The 34-year-old is the highest run-scorer in T20Is with 4,008 runs in 115 matches at 52.73. No other batters have touched the 4,000-figure mark. Kohli has slammed 37 fifties and a solitary hundred. He has 38 fifty-plus scores in T20Is more than anyone else. Rohit Sharma trails him with 3,853 runs in 148 T20Is and 34 fifty-plus scores in this format.
Fifth-highest Indian run-scorer in Tests
Kohli is the fifth-highest run scorer for India in Test cricket with 8,676 runs in 111 Tests at an average of 49.29. He is just behind Tendulkar (15,921), Rahul Dravid (13,265), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), and VVS Laxman (8,781). Kohli has slammed 58 fifty-plus scores in this format. 29 fifties and as many hundreds. He is India's most successful Test captain with 40 wins.
A look at some of his unique stats
As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli has scored more ODI tons while chasing (26). He has slammed nine centuries during 300-plus run-chases. He smashed a ton in his World Cup debut against Bangladesh in 2011. He scored a fifty on his T20 WC debut against Afghanistan in 2012. Kohli has scored centuries in all nine countries where he has played (ODIs) and has 13 double-hundred partnerships.
Hundreds in 46 venues!
Kohli has played in 83 different venues in international cricket to date and has scored hundreds in 46 different venues. Adelaide Oval has seen him smash five hundreds out of his total tally of 76. Only Tendulkar is ahead of him with a hundred in 53 venues. Ponting and Jacques Kallis are joint-third with a hundred in 35 venues in international cricket.
Kohli outscores Sri Lanka
Kohli slammed 166 against SL in an ODI in Thiruvananthapuram earlier this year. Courtesy of his majestic knock, India posted 390/5 and bundled out SL for only 73 runs registering the biggest win in ODI cricket. He outscored SL by 93 runs (second-highest).
Kohli scripted this unique record
Kohli scalped his first T20I wicket even before he bowled a legitimate ball. He got Kevin Pietersen stumped off a wide delivery when he came to bowl his first ball in the format in 2011. Kohli remains the only bowler to claim a wicket on his 0th ball in any format in men's international. He has scalped four wickets each in T20Is and ODIs.
5th-highest scorer in international cricket (across formats)
Kohli has 25,582 runs across formats in international cricket at 53.63. Tendulkar (34,357), Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Ricky Ponting (27.483), and Mahela Jayawardene (25,957). Kohli's 76 international tons is the second highest after Tendulkar (100).
