16 years of Virat Kohli

Aug 18, 2024

Virat Kohli has completed 16 years as an international cricketer. Relive his journey with this gallery, featuring photographs from each year of his career•ICC via Getty Images

<b>2009</b> Kohli's early years were defined by tussles with Sri Lanka. Nineteen of his first 34 ODIs were against them, and it was against them, at Eden Gardens, that he scored his first international hundred

2009 Kohli's early years were defined by tussles with Sri Lanka. Nineteen of his first 34 ODIs were against them, and it was against them, at Eden Gardens, that he scored his first international hundred•AFP

<b>2012</b> The combative side of Kohli's personality was on full view during his first full tour of Australia, where he found himself in battles with spectators and the opposition. When he reached his maiden Test hundred in Adelaide, he didn't hold back with his celebration

2012 The combative side of Kohli's personality was on full view during his first full tour of Australia, where he found himself in battles with spectators and the opposition. When he reached his maiden Test hundred in Adelaide, he didn't hold back with his celebration•Getty Images

<b>2015</b> After MS Dhoni's abrupt retirement from Test cricket after the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, Kohli took over the Test captaincy for the New Year's Test in Sydney. He had enjoyed a career-defining series, and ended it with another fine century

2015 After MS Dhoni's abrupt retirement from Test cricket after the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, Kohli took over the Test captaincy for the New Year's Test in Sydney. He had enjoyed a career-defining series, and ended it with another fine century•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

<b>2018</b> In an extraordinary year of Test batting, Kohli conquered the demons of 2014, with two hundreds and three fifties on the tour of England. For the first time in his career, he went to the top of the ICC's rankings for Test batters

2018 In an extraordinary year of Test batting, Kohli conquered the demons of 2014, with two hundreds and three fifties on the tour of England. For the first time in his career, he went to the top of the ICC's rankings for Test batters•Getty Images

<b>2021</b> A year when Kohli went from undisputed power centre of Indian cricket to just another player. He lost the ODI captaincy and gave up the T20I captaincy - the last act of which was a first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in the UAE - and by early 2022 he would give up the Test captaincy as well

2021 A year when Kohli went from undisputed power centre of Indian cricket to just another player. He lost the ODI captaincy and gave up the T20I captaincy - the last act of which was a first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in the UAE - and by early 2022 he would give up the Test captaincy as well•ICC via Getty

<b>2024</b> The T20 World Cup started poorly for Kohli in the US and the Caribbean, but come the final, he stepped up and how - anchoring India's batting innings with a Player-of-the-Match performance in their trophy-lifting win

2024 The T20 World Cup started poorly for Kohli in the US and the Caribbean, but come the final, he stepped up and how - anchoring India's batting innings with a Player-of-the-Match performance in their trophy-lifting win•Associated Press

<b>2008</b> Months after leading India to victory at the Under-19 World Cup, Kohli was called up to the senior team for the first time, for a five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka

2008 Months after leading India to victory at the Under-19 World Cup, Kohli was called up to the senior team for the first time, for a five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka•AFP

<b>2010</b> A breakthrough year would bring Kohli three ODI hundreds, each of which he celebrated in animated fashion

2010 A breakthrough year would bring Kohli three ODI hundreds, each of which he celebrated in animated fashion•AFP

<b>2013</b> Kohli top-scored with 43 from 34 balls in a rain-soaked Champions Trophy final against England. After India's win, Kohli, always the showman, brought out the 'Gangnam Style' dance

2013 Kohli top-scored with 43 from 34 balls in a rain-soaked Champions Trophy final against England. After India's win, Kohli, always the showman, brought out the 'Gangnam Style' dance•Getty Images

<b>2016</b> The high point of Kohli's best year in T20 cricket was one of the all-time-great T20 World Cup knocks, an 82 off 51 balls against Australia in Mohali that almost singlehandedly hauled India into the semi-finals. He also scored 973 runs in the IPL that year, a record that still stands

2016 The high point of Kohli's best year in T20 cricket was one of the all-time-great T20 World Cup knocks, an 82 off 51 balls against Australia in Mohali that almost singlehandedly hauled India into the semi-finals. He also scored 973 runs in the IPL that year, a record that still stands•Getty Images

<b>2019</b> After four years in charge of the Test side, Kohli achieved his greatest feat as captain, beating Australia away in the 2018-19 Border Gavaskar Trophy

2019 After four years in charge of the Test side, Kohli achieved his greatest feat as captain, beating Australia away in the 2018-19 Border Gavaskar Trophy•David Gray/AFP/Getty Images

<b>2022</b> Another year, another T20 World Cup, but a happier one for Kohli, who produced an all-time classic in a last-ball thriller against Pakistan. His back-to-back sixes off Haris Rauf in the 19th over, in particular this straight hit, are already the stuff of legend

2022 Another year, another T20 World Cup, but a happier one for Kohli, who produced an all-time classic in a last-ball thriller against Pakistan. His back-to-back sixes off Haris Rauf in the 19th over, in particular this straight hit, are already the stuff of legend•Getty Images

<b>2011</b> Kohli made a century on World Cup debut and scored an important 35 in the final after India were 31 for 2. But perhaps his most memorable moment of the tournament came during India's celebrations, when he said these famous words in a TV interview: "Sachin Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It was time we carried him. <i>Chak de</i>, India!"

2011 Kohli made a century on World Cup debut and scored an important 35 in the final after India were 31 for 2. But perhaps his most memorable moment of the tournament came during India's celebrations, when he said these famous words in a TV interview: "Sachin Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It was time we carried him. Chak de, India!"•Michael Steele/Getty Images

<b>2014</b> An all-too-familiar sight for Kohli on his first Test tour of England, where he couldn't stop nicking the swinging Dukes ball, particularly against James Anderson. He averaged 13.40 in a series that he often describes as his lowest phase in cricket

2014 An all-too-familiar sight for Kohli on his first Test tour of England, where he couldn't stop nicking the swinging Dukes ball, particularly against James Anderson. He averaged 13.40 in a series that he often describes as his lowest phase in cricket•Getty Images

<b>2017</b> Kohli and Australia was a feud that never seemed to end. In a seesawing, ill-tempered four-Test series that included the infamous Steven Smith "brain fade", each of Kohli's wicket celebrations seemed to be aimed at antagonising the visitors

2017 Kohli and Australia was a feud that never seemed to end. In a seesawing, ill-tempered four-Test series that included the infamous Steven Smith "brain fade", each of Kohli's wicket celebrations seemed to be aimed at antagonising the visitors•Associated Press

<b>2020</b> India's next Test tour of Australia began catastrophically: 36 all out in Adelaide. Kohli took the rest of the series off for the birth of his first child as India, led by Ajinkya Rahane, came back from behind to pull off a miraculous series win

2020 India's next Test tour of Australia began catastrophically: 36 all out in Adelaide. Kohli took the rest of the series off for the birth of his first child as India, led by Ajinkya Rahane, came back from behind to pull off a miraculous series win•AFP/Getty Images

<b>2023</b> Having averaged 26.20 and scored no hundreds in 36 Test innings over the previous three years, Kohli has looked a rejuvenated figure in 2023. A century in Ahmedabad against Australia ended his long drought, and he followed it up with another in Trinidad.

2023 Having averaged 26.20 and scored no hundreds in 36 Test innings over the previous three years, Kohli has looked a rejuvenated figure in 2023. A century in Ahmedabad against Australia ended his long drought, and he followed it up with another in Trinidad. •Getty Images