Biography of Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (born 5 November 1988) is one of the greatest batters in the history of cricket. This Virat Kohli biography tells his life story, career, records and contribution to Indian cricket in very simple words. He is famous for holding the world record of 54 ODI centuries, for scoring 85 international hundreds, and for being India's most successful Test captain. He won the 2011 World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy with India. He has retired from Tests and T20Is but still plays ODIs, and he helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the IPL in 2025 and 2026.

Virat Kohli Biography at a Glance (Quick Facts)

Detail	Information
Full Name	Virat Kohli
Born	5 November 1988
Birthplace	New Delhi, India
Age	37 years (as of September 2026)
Nickname	Cheeku, King Kohli
Famous For	Batting records, ODI centuries, captaincy of India, RCB in the IPL
Father	Prem Nath Kohli (criminal lawyer; died in 2006)
Mother	Saroj Kohli
Siblings	Vikas Kohli (brother), Bhawna Kohli (sister)
Wife	Anushka Sharma (married 11 December 2017)
Children	Vamika (born January 2021) and Akaay (born February 2024)
Batting Style	Right-handed batter
Domestic Team	Delhi; IPL: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
International Debut	ODI: 18 August 2008; Test: 20 June 2011; T20I: 12 June 2010
Test Career	123 matches, 9,230 runs, 30 centuries (retired 12 May 2025)
ODI Career	54 centuries, more than 14,000 runs (still playing in 2026)
Awards	Arjuna Award (2013), Padma Shri (2017), Khel Ratna (2018)

Who Is Virat Kohli?

Virat Kohli is an Indian cricketer who became a world star through hard work, fitness and a strong desire to win. He is known for his cover drive, his chasing skills and his aggressive style on the field. He led India in all three formats and made India the No. 1 Test team in the world.

Many fans call him "King Kohli". He is admired for turning his fitness into a model for other cricketers. Before him, few Indian players followed such a strict routine of diet, gym and rest. Today, his habits are copied by young players.

If a student asks, "Who is Virat Kohli?", the answer is: the Indian batter who broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most ODI centuries and led India to many Test wins.

Virat Kohli Early Life and Family

Birth and Family Background

Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in a Punjabi family in Delhi. His father, Prem Nath Kohli, was a criminal lawyer. His mother, Saroj Kohli, was a homemaker. He has an elder brother, Vikas, and an elder sister, Bhawna. The family lived in Uttam Nagar in West Delhi and later moved to Meera Bagh.

Virat was the youngest child, and he was loved by everyone in the family. His family later remembered that, as a small boy, he used to pick up a bat and ask his father to bowl to him, from about three years of age.

Schooling

Virat studied at Vishal Bharti Public School in Delhi and also went to Saviour Convent school in West Delhi for some time. He was a lively child who was more interested in sports than in books. But he also showed that he was ready to work hard.

Virat Kohli Cricket Training: West Delhi Cricket Academy

In 1998, when Virat was 9 years old, a new cricket academy called the West Delhi Cricket Academy was started near his home. His family took him there, and he met the coach Rajkumar Sharma. The coach was impressed by his talent and his love for the game. Virat practised there every day for years.

Rajkumar Sharma later said that Virat was ready to work harder than anyone else, and that he never missed a session. Virat also moved to a better school to allow more time for cricket. He played for Delhi at the under-15, under-17 and under-19 levels.

The Day After His Father's Death

In December 2006, when Virat was 18, his father died of a brain stroke. It was during a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Karnataka, and Virat was batting on the day his father passed away. He was not out at the end of the day. The next morning, after the sad news, he chose to go back to the field, and scored 90 runs, and then went for his father's last rites.

This event showed his dedication to cricket and his strength of mind. Kohli says that his father's death changed him and made him more serious about his career.

Virat Kohli Under-19 World Cup Captain (2008)

In 2008, Virat Kohli was the captain of the Indian team at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. India beat South Africa in the final on 3 March 2008 to win the trophy. Kohli scored a century in the tournament and was among the top scorers. This win made him a name across the cricketing world. Other players in that team, like Ravindra Jadeja, also went on to play for India.

Virat Kohli International Debut and Rise (2008–2011)

Kohli played his first ODI for India on 18 August 2008 against Sri Lanka at Dambulla. He scored only 12 runs. But the selectors saw a bright future in him. He scored his first ODI century in December 2009 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata. He played his first T20I in June 2010 against Zimbabwe.

He was part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning team. In the final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on 2 April 2011, he scored 35 runs and helped to build a key partnership with Gautam Gambhir. After the final, he was famously carried around the ground on the shoulders of his teammates. He later said that he did it to carry the weight of Sachin Tendulkar's dream for 21 years.

His Test debut came on 20 June 2011 against the West Indies in Kingston. He struggled at first in Tests, but in January 2012 he scored his first Test century, 116, in Adelaide, Australia.

Virat Kohli as the Captain of India

Test Captaincy (2014–2022)

When M. S. Dhoni retired from Tests in December 2014, Kohli became the captain. He led India in 68 Tests and won 40, which is the highest number of Test wins for any Indian captain. He led India to the No. 1 Test ranking. In the 2018–19 series, India beat Australia in Australia for the first time in history, and Kohli became the first Asian captain to win a Test series there.

He promoted fitness in the Test team and pushed the fast bowlers to become world class. Under him, India's bowling attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma became one of the best in the world.

Limited-Overs Captaincy

Kohli became the ODI and T20I captain in January 2017 when Dhoni stepped down. India reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup under his captaincy. He stepped down as T20I captain after the T20 World Cup in 2021. In December 2021, he was replaced as the ODI captain, and in January 2022 he resigned from Test captaincy. Since then, he has played as a batter.

Virat Kohli Batting Records and Achievements

ODI Records

• 54 ODI centuries, which is the world record. He passed Sachin Tendulkar's 49 with his 50th ODI hundred, 117 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, on 15 November 2023.
• Most runs in a single World Cup edition: 765 runs in the 2023 World Cup, where he was named the Player of the Tournament.
• Fastest to 10,000 ODI runs (in 205 innings, in October 2018) and to 13,000 and 14,000 runs.
• Second-highest run-getter in ODI cricket after Sachin Tendulkar, with more than 14,000 runs and an average above 58.

Test Records

• 123 Tests, 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85.
• 30 Test centuries, including 7 double centuries, the most by an Indian.
• Highest Test score of 254 not out against South Africa in Pune in 2019.
• The most successful Indian Test captain, with 40 wins.

T20I and IPL Records

• 4,188 T20I runs at an average of around 48.7, which is one of the best among players with over 1,000 T20I runs.
• He was the Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cups of 2014 and 2016.
• IPL: He has been with Royal Challengers Bengaluru since the first season in 2008. He is the top run-scorer in IPL history with more than 8,000 runs and has the most IPL centuries. In 2016, he scored 973 runs in a single season, including four centuries, which is a record.

Virat Kohli in ICC Tournaments

Tournament	Result
2008 Under-19 World Cup	Won as captain
2011 ODI World Cup	Won (member of the team)
2013 Champions Trophy	Won
2014 T20 World Cup	Runner-up; Player of the Tournament
2016 T20 World Cup	Semi-final; Player of the Tournament
2017 Champions Trophy	Runner-up (as captain)
2019 ODI World Cup	Semi-final (as captain)
2023 ODI World Cup	Runner-up; Kohli was the Player of the Tournament with 765 runs
2024 T20 World Cup	Won; he was the Player of the Match in the final with 76 runs
2025 Champions Trophy	Won

The Tough Phase and the Comeback (2019–2022)

After November 2019, Kohli went through a long period without an international century. It lasted for about three years. This was hard for a player who was used to scoring big hundreds. He gave the reasons as fatigue and pressure, and he took a break from cricket in 2022 to rest and to think.

He returned in the Asia Cup in September 2022. Against Afghanistan in Dubai on 8 September 2022, he scored an unbeaten 122, his first century in international cricket in nearly three years, and his 71st overall. A month later, in the 2022 T20 World Cup, he played one of the greatest innings in T20 cricket: an unbeaten 82 against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which helped India win from a difficult position.

This comeback showed Kohli's strength in tough times. Many fans think of it as one of the best stories in modern cricket.

Retirement from Tests and T20Is

After India won the T20 World Cup on 29 June 2024, Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals. In the final against South Africa in Barbados, he scored 76 and was named the Player of the Match. It was a fitting end to his T20I career.

On 12 May 2025, he announced his retirement from Test cricket. He ended with 123 Tests, 9,230 runs and 30 centuries. Fans said that they would miss him in whites. As of September 2026, he continues to play One Day Internationals.

Virat Kohli in the IPL: The Long Wait and the Titles

Kohli has played all his IPL career for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He captained the team from 2013 to 2021 and led it to the final in 2016. But the team did not win the title for a long time, and Kohli became famous as the star who was loyal to RCB without a trophy.

In 2025, this wait ended. RCB beat Punjab Kings in the final on 3 June 2025 to win their first IPL title, after 18 years. Kohli was in tears after the win. In 2026, RCB defended their title by beating the Gujarat Titans in the final on 31 May 2026. Kohli scored 75 off 42 balls and was the Player of the Match. Now RCB has back-to-back titles, and Kohli has two IPL trophies.

Virat Kohli Fitness and Lifestyle

Kohli is known as one of the fittest cricketers in the world. In the early years of his career, he was known to like fast food and had a heavier body. After a poor tour of England in 2014, he changed his life. He started a strict diet, hard gym work, yoga and a strict routine. He became a vegetarian in 2018 for health reasons.

He also brought a change in the fitness culture of Indian cricket. The team now has to clear a fitness test called the yo-yo test, a rule pushed strongly during his captaincy.

Kohli also says that mental fitness is as important as physical fitness. He has spoken openly about the pressure of being a star and the need for rest and a balanced life.

Virat Kohli Marriage and Family Life

Virat Kohli married the actress Anushka Sharma on 11 December 2017 in Tuscany, Italy, in a small private ceremony. They have two children: a daughter, Vamika, born on 11 January 2021, and a son, Akaay, born on 15 February 2024. The couple has kept the children away from the media. In recent years, the family has spent much time in London.

Virat Kohli Business and Social Work

Kohli is also a successful businessman and brand ambassador. He co-owns the football club FC Goa and has invested in fashion (WROGN), fitness centres (Chisel) and restaurants. He also has a lifestyle brand called One8 with Puma. He runs the Virat Kohli Foundation, which helps poor children and supports sports. About his income and net worth, there is no official figure; media estimates vary a lot. For IPL 2025, RCB kept him for about ₹21 crore.

Virat Kohli Awards and Honours

Award	Year
Arjuna Award	2013
Padma Shri	2017
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (now Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna)	2018
ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy)	2017 and 2018
ICC ODI Player of the Year	2012, 2017, 2018 and 2023
Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World	2016, 2017 and 2018
ICC Cricketer of the Decade	2011–2020
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award	2019

Virat Kohli Timeline (Year-Wise History)

Year	Event
1988	Born on 5 November in Delhi
1998	Joins the West Delhi Cricket Academy
2006	Makes first-class debut; father passes away in December
2008	Captains India to the U-19 World Cup; ODI debut; joins RCB
2011	Test debut; wins the ODI World Cup
2014	Becomes the Test captain
2017	Becomes captain in all formats; marries Anushka Sharma
2018	Wins the Test series in Australia
2022	Steps down as Test captain; ends the century drought with 122* in the Asia Cup
2023	Scores his 50th ODI century and 765 runs in the World Cup
2024	Wins the T20 World Cup; retires from T20Is
2025	Retires from Tests; wins the Champions Trophy and the IPL with RCB
2026	RCB wins the IPL again

Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar

Fans often compare Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Here is a simple table of their main numbers. The numbers may change slightly as Kohli is still playing.

Record	Sachin Tendulkar	Virat Kohli
Test centuries	51	30
ODI centuries	49	54
Total international centuries	100	85
ODI World Cup wins	1 (2011)	1 (2011, as a member)
Test career	200 matches	123 matches (retired)

Both are legends. Tendulkar started at age 16 and played for 24 years. Kohli was a great chaser and a leader of a new generation of Indian cricket.

Virat Kohli Legacy: Why He Is Admired

Kohli's biggest gift to Indian cricket is his attitude. He showed that Indian players can be tough, fit and confident against any team in the world. He inspired a generation of young Indians to believe that they can win overseas.

His records and his fitness habits are studied all over the world. His story, from a boy in West Delhi who lost his father at 18 to a global icon, is an inspiring one.

Interesting Facts About Virat Kohli

• His nickname is "Cheeku".
• He captained India to the Under-19 World Cup win in 2008.
• He scored 90 in a Ranji match the day after his father died.
• He scored his 50th ODI century in a World Cup semi-final on 15 November 2023.
• His highest Test score is 254 not out.
• He became a vegetarian in 2018.
• He is a part-owner of FC Goa.
• He won the IPL with RCB in 2025 and 2026.
• He announced his retirement from T20Is after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
• He announced his Test retirement on 12 May 2025.

Virat Kohli Biography: Important Points for SSC and Other Exams

• Born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi.
• Captained India to the 2008 Under-19 World Cup.
• Holds the record for the most ODI centuries (54).
• India's most successful Test captain (40 wins in 68 Tests).
• Won the 2011 World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
• Retired from T20Is (June 2024) and Tests (May 2025).
• Awards: Arjuna (2013), Padma Shri (2017), Khel Ratna (2018).
• Plays for RCB in the IPL; won the title in 2025 and 2026.
• Wife: Anushka Sharma.

Practice Questions (with Answers)

Question	Answer
How many ODI centuries has Virat Kohli scored?	54 (a world record)
In which year did Kohli become India's Test captain?	2014
Which team does Kohli play for in the IPL?	Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Which award did Kohli get in 2018?	Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
When did he retire from Test cricket?	12 May 2025

Lessons Students Can Learn from Virat Kohli

• Hard work beats talent. He trained harder than anyone else.
• Stay strong in hard times. He went back to the field the day after his father's death.
• Fitness matters. He changed his lifestyle and improved his career.
• Do not give up after failure. He came back after a long dry spell.
• Stay loyal. He stuck with one IPL team for 18 years, until he won.

Virat Kohli's Batting Style: What Makes Him Special?

Kohli is a right-handed batter with a strong base of technique. Experts often speak about a few things that make him special.

• The cover drive. His cover drive, played with a straight bat and great timing, is one of the most loved shots in world cricket.
• Running between the wickets. He turns singles into twos and keeps the scoreboard moving. He is one of the best runners between the wickets in the game.
• Chasing skill. He is known as a master chaser. He has scored many centuries while chasing a target, and India has won many of those matches.
• Fitness and stamina. He can bat for long hours in hot weather without losing energy.
• Mental strength. He loves big matches and often plays his best innings under pressure.

Cricket Words Explained Simply

Word	Simple Meaning
Century	100 or more runs scored by a batter in one innings
Batting average	Total runs divided by the number of times the batter was out; a higher number means a better batter
ODI	One Day International; each team plays 50 overs
Test match	A long match played over up to five days
T20I	Twenty20 International; each team plays 20 overs
Chasing	Batting second and trying to reach the target set by the other team
Captain	The leader of the team who makes the plan for the match

Common Confusions About Virat Kohli

• Kohli did not captain India in the 2011 World Cup. M. S. Dhoni was the captain. Kohli was a member of the team.
• Kohli has not scored 100 international centuries. That record belongs to Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli has 85.
• He is not the top Test run-scorer of India. That record belongs to Sachin Tendulkar and then Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and others.
• RCB did not win the IPL before 2025. The first title came on 3 June 2025.
• His numbers can change. Because he still plays ODIs and the IPL, his runs and centuries may be a little higher when you read this.

Famous Innings of Virat Kohli

Match	Innings	Why It Is Remembered
2011 World Cup final vs Sri Lanka	35	A key partnership with Gautam Gambhir in a winning chase
2012 Asia Cup vs Pakistan, Mirpur	183	His highest ODI score, in a big chase
2016 T20 World Cup vs Australia, Mohali	82 not out	A masterclass in a must-win match
2019 vs South Africa, Pune	254 not out	His highest Test score
2022 T20 World Cup vs Pakistan, Melbourne	82 not out	A famous win in the last over
2023 World Cup semi-final vs New Zealand, Mumbai	117	His 50th ODI hundred
2024 T20 World Cup final vs South Africa, Barbados	76	Player of the Match in the final
2026 IPL final vs Gujarat Titans	75 off 42	Helped RCB retain the IPL title

These innings show that Kohli plays his best cricket when the stakes are the highest.

Virat Kohli and M. S. Dhoni: A Special Bond

Kohli and Dhoni are among the closest friends in Indian cricket. Dhoni was the captain when Kohli was a young player, and he supported him through his early struggles. When Kohli became the captain, Dhoni stayed on as a senior player and helped him with advice from behind the stumps. Kohli has always spoken of Dhoni with great respect, and he has said that the 2016 T20 World Cup match in Mohali, where they ran between the wickets in a tense chase, is one of his favourite memories.

Related People and Topics

You can also read about Sachin Tendulkar, M. S. Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Anushka Sharma, Rajkumar Sharma, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the ICC Cricket World Cup and the IPL.

Key Takeaways

• Virat Kohli (born 1988) is one of the greatest batters in cricket history.
• He holds the world record of 54 ODI centuries and has 85 international centuries.
• He is India's most successful Test captain and has retired from Tests and T20Is.
• He won the 2011 World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy and IPL 2025 and 2026 with RCB.
• He is admired for his fitness, hard work and comeback stories.

Virat Kohli Biography: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who is Virat Kohli?

Virat Kohli is an Indian cricketer and one of the greatest batters in the world. He has scored 85 international centuries and led India in all three formats.

Q2. When and where was Virat Kohli born?

He was born on 5 November 1988 in New Delhi.

Q3. How old is Virat Kohli?

As of September 2026, Virat Kohli is 37 years old. He will turn 38 on 5 November 2026.

Q4. Who are the parents of Virat Kohli?

His father was Prem Nath Kohli, a criminal lawyer who died in December 2006. His mother is Saroj Kohli.

Q5. Who is the wife of Virat Kohli?

His wife is the actress Anushka Sharma. They married on 11 December 2017 in Italy.

Q6. How many children does Virat Kohli have?

He has two children: a daughter, Vamika (born January 2021), and a son, Akaay (born February 2024).

Q7. What is Virat Kohli's nickname?

His nickname is "Cheeku". Fans also call him "King Kohli".

Q8. Who was the coach of Virat Kohli?

His childhood coach was Rajkumar Sharma of the West Delhi Cricket Academy.

Q9. When did Virat Kohli make his debut for India?

He made his ODI debut on 18 August 2008 against Sri Lanka, his T20I debut on 12 June 2010 against Zimbabwe and his Test debut on 20 June 2011 against the West Indies.

Q10. How many ODI centuries has Virat Kohli scored?

He has scored 54 ODI centuries, which is the world record. He passed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 in the 2023 World Cup semi-final.

Q11. How many international centuries does Virat Kohli have?

He has 85 international centuries: 30 in Tests, 54 in ODIs and 1 in T20Is.

Q12. What is Virat Kohli's highest Test score?

His highest Test score is 254 not out against South Africa in Pune in October 2019.

Q13. Has Virat Kohli retired?

He has retired from T20 internationals (June 2024) and from Test cricket (May 2025). As of September 2026, he still plays ODIs and the IPL.

Q14. When did Virat Kohli retire from Test cricket?

He announced his retirement from Tests on 12 May 2025 after 123 Tests, 9,230 runs and 30 centuries.

Q15. Was Virat Kohli the captain of India?

Yes. He was the Test captain from 2014 to 2022, and the ODI and T20I captain from 2017 until 2021. He is the most successful Test captain of India.

Q16. Which trophies has Virat Kohli won with India?

He was part of the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy winning teams. He also captained India to the 2008 Under-19 World Cup.

Q17. Which IPL team does Virat Kohli play for?

He has played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since 2008. RCB won the IPL in 2025 and 2026.

Q18. When did RCB win the IPL?

RCB won their first IPL title on 3 June 2025 by beating Punjab Kings, and they won again on 31 May 2026 by beating Gujarat Titans.

Q19. Which awards has Virat Kohli won?

He has won the Arjuna Award (2013), Padma Shri (2017), Khel Ratna (2018), many ICC awards, including the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, and Wisden honours.

Q20. What is Virat Kohli's net worth?

There is no official figure. Media estimates vary a lot. His income comes from the BCCI contract, IPL salary, brand endorsements and business ventures.

Q21. What is the story of Virat Kohli's father?

His father Prem Nath Kohli died on 18 December 2006, when Virat was 18. Virat scored 90 for Delhi the next day and then went to perform his father's last rites.

Q22. Why did Virat Kohli become a vegetarian?

He became a vegetarian in 2018 for reasons of health and fitness. He has said that it helped his energy and recovery.

Q23. What can students learn from Virat Kohli?

Students can learn hard work, fitness, discipline and the strength to make a comeback after failures.