Former India captain and global cricket icon Virat Kohli is celebrating his birthday today. Born on November 5, 1988, Kohli has established himself as one of the most dominant and influential batters in world cricket, redefining fitness excellence and elite performance standards.
From guiding India to historic victories to setting batting benchmarks across formats, Kohli’s journey continues to inspire millions. He remains the only player to average 50+ simultaneously in ODIs, T20Is, and Tests for a sustained period in his career, while also holding the record for the most ODI centuries.
Know the Interesting Facts About Birthday Boy Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli showed a love for cricket from a very young age. Even when he was just three years old, he would pick up a bat and ask his father to bowl to him. His talent and interest in the game were clear right from the beginning.
He was one of the first kids to train at the West Delhi Cricket Academy when it opened in 1998. That academy played a big role in shaping him into the cricketer he is today.
Kohli has a unique record in the IPL — he has never been part of the auction. Royal Challengers Bangalore picked him directly in 2008, and he has stayed with the team ever since.
He also became the first player to score 3,000 IPL runs at a single stadium — the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Not many know this, but Kohli took a wicket with the very first ball he bowled in international cricket — a rare achievement for someone known mainly for batting.
He is also the only Indian to score a century on his World Cup debut, which he did against Bangladesh in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Kohli has several tattoos that are special to him, including images and symbols like Lord Shiva, “Om,” his parents’ names, and his Test and ODI cap numbers.
Like many athletes, Kohli has his own superstitions. For example, he sometimes wears the same pair of gloves because he feels they bring him luck.
He made history when he became the youngest Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia, doing so in 2018–19.
Before becoming a global star, he also led India’s Under-19 team to a World Cup win in 2008.
Outside of cricket, Kohli has business interests too. He owns a share in the ISL football team FC Goa.
In 2018, he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world — a recognition of his impact both on and off the field.
Kohli Achievements and Records in the IPL and International
IPL Records:
Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, with more than 8,500 runs to his name.
He has also scored the most centuries in the tournament — 8 in total, more than any other player.
In 2016, Kohli had a record-breaking season, scoring 973 runs — the most by any player in a single IPL season. He is also the only player to score 4 centuries in one IPL season, which he did that same year.
Kohli is the only batsman to score over 700 runs in two different IPL seasons — 973 runs in 2016 and 741 runs in 2024.
He has been with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since the beginning of his IPL career, making him the longest-serving player for one franchise. He has also played the most matches and captained the most matches for RCB.
Kohli holds the record for scoring the most runs for a single IPL team.
He was also the first player to reach 5,500; 6,000; 6,500; 7,000; 7,500; and 8,000 IPL runs.
One of his most memorable moments came in 2016 when he and AB de Villiers shared a 229-run partnership, which remains one of the highest in IPL history.
International Cricket Records:
Virat Kohli holds the record for the most centuries in One Day Internationals (ODIs), with 51 centuries, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary record.
In Test cricket, he has scored 30 centuries, including 7 double centuries, showing his ability to play long, big innings.
He is also one of the fastest batters in history to reach big run milestones in ODIs, from 8,000 to 12,000 runs — a sign of his incredible consistency.
Kohli has impressive batting averages too: around 46.85 in Tests, 57.88 in ODIs, and 48.70 in T20Is — numbers that prove his class in all formats.
He is one of the highest run-scorers in T20 Internationals with 4,188 runs, making him one of the best players the format has ever seen.
Kohli also holds some unique records, like scoring the most runs in a match even when his team lost, and scoring a century in both innings of a Test match — something only a few players have ever done.
Above all, Kohli is famous for being a reliable and fearless batsman in run-chases, winning countless matches for India with his focused and determined batting.
Virat Family Background
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi, India, into a humble and loving Punjabi family. His father, Prem Kohli, worked as a criminal lawyer, and his mother, Saroj Kohli, is a homemaker. Virat always speaks proudly about how his parents supported his cricket dream from the beginning.
Virat has two siblings — an older brother, Vikas Kohli, and an older sister, Bhavna Kohli. Virat is married to Anushka Sharma, a well-known Bollywood actress. The couple got married in December 2017 and are blessed with two children — a daughter named Vamika and a baby boy named Akaay.
Today, the Kohli family remains one of the most admired celebrity families in India, known for their simplicity, values, and strong support for each other.
Played Ranji Match Day After His Father’s Death
Virat’s family lived in West Delhi, where cricket quickly became a big part of Virat’s life. His father played a huge role in his early cricket journey. Kohli’s father passed away during a Ranji Trophy match (2006). He returned to bat the next morning, scored 90 for Delhi, and only then attended the funeral. This incident shaped his legendary mental discipline.
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