No cricket fanatic in the world can claim to be unaware of the current India captain's name. Born and brought up in the Indian capital city of New Delhi, Kohli emerged on the international radar after leading India to the title win at the ICC U19 World Cup in 2008. However, Kohli didn't exactly announce himself at the highest level till 2012 - four years after his debut - when in Australia he hit his maiden Test century (116) in Adelaide. By the end of that tour Kohli had also shown the world just how good a batsman he could become when his 86-ball-133 helped India chase down a mammoth 330 in less than 40 overs against Sri Lanka in the triangular series.
Since then he hasn't looked back and has grown from strength to strength by proving his prowess all over the world. Having hit centuries on tough away tours Kohli improved his shorter format game several notches especially with the help of the IPL, where in 2016 he smacked a record 973 runs! A established chaser of totals, he has hundreds in all Test playing nations - except Bangladesh and Zimbabwe - where he has played just a single match. He is also a World Cup winner(2011) and was adjuged the Player of the Tournament at the 2014 ICC World T20. Being counted amongst the four great batsmen of the modern age along with Steven Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, Kohli's meteoric rise over the past couple of years has seen him rise above everyone else in the art of batting. He is the only batsman yet to average more than 48 in all formats of the game and after his exploits in England in the summer of 2018, he has proved that he is the best batsman across the globe under any given conditions.
For his exploits on the field he has also been awarded the country's highest sports honour - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2018. But with the accolades there also have been questions regarding team selection and his aggressive mindset resulting in failures to win tough series overseas. The fact remains though that just like his runs, there are many more Indian victories to come under his leadership and only time will tell how great a legacy Captain Kohli will leave behind. But regarding his batting skills, it's safe to assume that the debate has been settled for now. There is only one Kohli and he sits right at the top.
With the various franchises making their picks in the DPL (Delhi Premier League) 2025 auction, Virender Sehwag's son Aryavir Sehwag and Virat Kohli's nephew Aryaveer Kohli have both been picked for the upcoming editions of the tournament.
Faf du Plessis' fabulous form with the bat and Adam Milne's brilliant five-wicket haul propelled the Texas Super Kings to the top of the table, with a sensational win against the Seattle Orcas. Du Plessis broke a few records on his way to 91 off just 52 balls while batting first.
A lot of players have led India in Tests, but not many have led the team for a long period. The likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sourav Ganguly are a few of the players who led India in a lot of Test matches. But did they manage to score the most runs in an innings as captain for the country?
Indian captain Shubman Gill slammed his maiden double ton and went as far as breaking several Test records for an Indian skipper as he brought England to the mat at Edgbaston. While Gill did break Virat Kohli's Test record, who do you think holds the ODI record?
Shubman Gill is shining as captain in the ongoing England tour, having slammed two centuries in just three innings. On the opening day of the second Test, he smacked his 16th century in international cricket. Here's the stats comparison between Gill and Kohli after 16 tons at international level.
Shubman Gill scored consecutive 50+ knocks as captain against England, including a 147 at Headingley and another solid outing at Edgbaston. He becomes the fifth Indian captain to achieve this feat, joining Hazare, Gavaskar, Ganguly, and Kohli.
Karun Nair had his position changed from No 6 to 3 after just one Test as India made wholesale changes to their line-up for the second game against England in Birmingham. The musical chairs at this position has been prevalent since Cheteshwar Pujara's departure. Take a look-
India are scheduled to tour Bangladesh next month for three ODIs and as many T20Is. However, given the country's political situation, the tour is in doubt, with the BCCI awaiting government clearance. The fans are also eagerly waiting for Rohit and Kohli to play, as they are now only playing ODIs.
India and England will lock horns at Edgbaston in Birmingham from July 2 in the second Test of the five-match series. The visitors are 0-1 down in the series after losing the first Test at Headingley. Meanwhile, let us have a look at the players who have scored a century at the venue for India.
Rohit Sharma called India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win the best moment of his life, crediting Axar Patel’s 47 as the game-changer. He admitted panicking after early wickets fell and praised Kohli’s steady knock and the team’s collective effort to clinch victory.
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly took centre stage and made a huge claim around Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's future in ODI cricket amidst India's ongoing Test tour against England. Ganguly also talked about how Kohli would have performed in the ongoing tour.
Nasser Hussain recalled Kohli's passionate team huddle at Lord’s in 2021, where he urged India to unleash their intensity and win the Test. He noted that Test cricket was far more exciting and impactful when Kohli was part of the game.
Shubman Gill made a thumping captaincy debut as he slammed a century during the first Test of the five-match series against England at Leeds. Gill has joined a rare list of Indian players in a major milestone.
Shubman Gill began his Test captaincy in style as he slammed a half-century on his maiden innings as skipper. He created history and surpassed legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli with his half ton in the Leeds Test.
India enters a new era in Test cricket, as for the first time after nearly 14 years, none of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravi Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara are in the team for a Test match. Meanwhile, India were put in to bat first in the first Test at Leeds.
Sri Lanka's third-highest run-getter in Tests, Angelo Mathews, in his penultimate innings of his red-ball career, scored 39 runs on Day 3 of the opening game against Bangladesh at Galle. Sri Lanka ended up reducing the deficit to 127, with two days left in the first Test.
Senior India batter KL Rahul reflected on playing for the first time without either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in the dressing room. Calling it strange, Rahul noted that the young cricketers are ready to take over the next era.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan recently came forward and talked about how the absence of ace batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could affect the Indian team as the side is gearing up to take on England in a five-game Test series starting from June 20.
Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket ahead of the England series, surprising many after a brief return to domestic cricket. England captain Ben Stokes called it a shame, praising Kohli's fierce competitiveness and saying he’ll miss their on-field battles.
Ahead of the high-voltage five-match Test series against India, star England batter Joe Root shared insights on Virat Kohli’s struggles, noting the difficulty of making technical changes. The latter retired from Test cricket in May 2025.