Virat Kohli turns 37 today, and on this special day, memories of his bond with Anushka Sharma have once again touched fans. The couple’s love story began in 2013 during an advertisement shoot and led to their wedding in 2017 at Borgo Finocchietto, Italy.
Anushka once shared in an interview with Filmfare that marrying Virat was like marrying her best friend. She said, “I’m wed to my best friend. I’m married to my confidant. When we are together, the outside world fades away.” She also mentioned that during the first six months of their marriage, they could only spend about 21 or 22 days together because of their busy schedules.
In another interview at the Puma headquarters, Anushka recalled realizing Virat would be an ideal life partner because of his sharp memory and caring nature.
Currently, Virat is celebrating his birthday in London with Anushka and their two children, daughter Vamika and son Akaay. The couple continues to keep their family life private and away from public attention.
Virat Kohli’s Career Journey: International career
Virat Kohli began his international career in August 2008 at age 19, debuting in ODIs against Sri Lanka. His breakthrough came in 2009 when he led India to victory in the Emerging Players Tournament and scored his first ODI century later that year. By 2011, he was part of India’s World Cup-winning team and soon became a key batsman in all formats.
He scored his first Test century in 2012 after making his Test debut in 2011. Following his retirement, MS Dhoni was named India’s Test captain in 2014. He quickly accomplished significant feats, such as leading India to their first Test series victory in Australia in 2018.
Kohli peaked between 2016 and 2018, setting several records and becoming the fastest player to reach 8,000, 10,000, and 11,000 ODI runs. He was India’s most successful Test captain and number 1 Test batsman. After India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, he retired from Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). In May 2025, after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he retired from Test cricket.
Virat Kohli’s Career Journey: IPL career
Virat Kohli’s IPL career began in 2008 when he was signed for $50,000 by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). After a few lackluster seasons, he rose to the position of vice captain by 2010 and was signed as RCB’s sole player in 2011 for a reported $1.8 million.
His best IPL season came in 2016, when he scored 973 runs with four centuries, the highest ever in a single IPL season, and won the Orange Cap, though RCB lost the final. He was retained for ₹17 crore in 2018, becoming the league’s highest-paid player.
After 18 seasons, Kohli helped RCB win their first IPL title in 2025, his first with the team. He scored 657 runs at an average of 54.75 and played a pivotal innings of 43 in the final.
Virat Kohli’s Career Journey: Domestic career
Virat Kohli made his debut in junior cricket at the age of 13 and started playing domestic cricket with Delhi in 2002. He scored his first half-century against Haryana and later led Delhi’s U-15 team in the 2003–04 Polly Umrigar Trophy, where he finished as the top scorer with 390 runs. He continued his strong form for the U-17 side in the Vijay Merchant Trophy, scoring 470 runs with a high of 251*.
In the 2005–06 season, Kohli dominated the tournament with 757 runs, including scores of 227 and 228 in crucial matches, helping Delhi win the title. He made his List A debut in February 2006 and his first-class debut in November that year against Tamil Nadu. During his second match against Karnataka, Kohli famously batted the day after his father’s death, scoring 90 runs and earning praise for his mental strength.
He made his T20 debut in 2007, finishing as Delhi’s top run-scorer in the Inter-State T20 Championship. In 2008, he shone in the Nissar Trophy with scores of 52 and 197, and in 2009–10, he returned to the Ranji Trophy with a key innings of 67 against Maharashtra. Kohli was selected for the India Under-19 team tour of England in July 2006.
FAQs
Q. Why is Virat Kohli called 18?
A. Virat Kohli wears number 18 because it was first given to him in the U-19 team. After that, he made his debut for the Indian cricket team on August 18, 2008.
Q. Is Virat Kohli no longer playing cricket in Test matches?
A. On May 12, 2025, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket. He made the announcement on social media. He still plays ODIs for India.
Q. Has Virat Kohli achieved 14,000 runs?
A. In February 2025, Virat Kohli amassed 14,000 ODI runs. In just 287 innings, he became the fastest player to reach the milestone and the third player to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Q. What is Virat Kohli’s total number of centuries?
A. A total of 30 Tests, 51 ODIs, and 1 T20I have contributed to Virat Kohli’s 82 international hundreds.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
