Virat Kohli completes 18 years in international cricket

It was exactly 18 years ago that Indian superstar Virat Kohli began his international journey, 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 being dismissed by Nuwan Kulasekara 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 claiming three wickets each. Sri Lanka eventually cruised to an eight-wicket victory.

What followed, however, was one of the greatest careers in the history of cricket.

Over the next 18 years, Kohli established himself as one of the most prolific batters the game has ever produced, rewriting numerous records across formats. His remarkable consistency and appetite for runs have placed him firmly among cricket’s all-time greats.

One of the defining moments of his career came during the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, when Kohli scored his 50th ODI century, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record for the most hundreds in the format.

Kohli’s achievements extend well beyond his century tally. He was named the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Decade for the 2011-2020 period and has earned a reputation as one of the greatest chase masters in the history of limited-overs cricket. His ability to calculate run chases under immense pressure and consistently deliver for India has become one of the defining features of his career.

For much of his illustrious journey, Kohli embraced the challenge of excelling across all three formats. In the latter stages of his career, however, his focus has shifted towards longevity, fitness and maintaining the concentration required to perform 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. Soon after India’s title triumph, Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals and then followed it up to retire from Tests, allowing him to concentrate on only ODI cricket.

Kohli’s attention is now firmly focused on the ODI format and the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Stepping away from T20Is and Tests has allowed the veteran batter to reduce his workload and devote greater attention to the 50-over format. Kohli has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining his fitness and preparation as he looks to remain at the top level.