Virat Kohli

Kohli has been married to Bollywood actress and producer Anushka Sharma since 2017. They have two children, a daughter named Vamika, born in January 2021, and a son born in February 2024.

In 2018, Kohli adopted a vegetarian diet to help manage symptoms associated with a cervical spine issue and elevated uric acid. He has clarified that he is not vegan and continues to consume dairy products. His public health routine has included intensive training, exercise, and attention to nutrition.

Kohli began training at the West Delhi Cricket Academy, which was established in 1998, and played for Delhi's Under-15 and Under-17 teams. He was already drawn to cricket as a young child and later moved schools to support his developing cricket career. His father, Prem Nath Kohli, worked as a criminal lawyer, while his mother, Saroj Kohli, was a homemaker.

Kohli became widely known after captaining India to victory in the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. He scored 235 runs in the tournament, including a century against the West Indies Under-19 team, and was subsequently selected for the senior Indian side. His performances for India Emerging Players in Australia in 2009, including a century in the final, helped secure his place in the national team.

Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in August 2008 and scored his first ODI century against the same opponents in December 2009. He was part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, scoring a century in his World Cup debut against Bangladesh and contributing 35 runs in the final. He made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011.

His 133 not out against Sri Lanka in the 2012 Commonwealth Bank Series became one of the defining innings of his early career. Chasing 321 runs in 40 overs, Kohli reached the target in 36.4 overs and kept India in contention for the tournament final. He also scored 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, his highest ODI score at that point.

Kohli's record-setting performances continued through the 2010s. In 2018 he became the fastest batter to reach 10,000 ODI runs, doing so in 54 fewer innings than Sachin Tendulkar. At the 2023 ODI World Cup, he scored 765 runs, the highest total by a batter in a single edition of the tournament, and made his 50th ODI century in the semifinal against New Zealand.

Kohli first captained India as a stand-in during a 2013 tri-series in the West Indies. He became India's full-time Test captain in 2015 and later led the ODI and T20I teams. He captained India in a record 68 Test matches and won 40 of them, making him the country's most successful Test captain by wins.

The defining achievement of his captaincy came in 2018-19, when India won its first Test series in Australia. Kohli also became the first batter to score double centuries in four consecutive Test series. India reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final under his captaincy, and he later stepped down from the T20I, ODI, and Test captaincy between 2021 and 2022.

Kohli was named Player of the Tournament at the 2014 and 2016 T20I World Cups and the 2023 ODI World Cup. After being named Player of the Match in the 2024 T20I World Cup final, he announced his retirement from T20I cricket. He announced his Test retirement in May 2025 after a career that included 30 Test centuries and seven double centuries.

Kohli has played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, formerly Royal Challengers Bangalore, throughout his IPL career. He was acquired by the franchise in the inaugural 2008 season, became vice-captain in 2010, and was appointed captain in 2013. He is the only player to have represented a single IPL franchise throughout the league's history.

The 2016 IPL season was a landmark year for Kohli. He scored 973 runs, including four centuries, won the Orange Cap as the league's leading run-scorer, and received the Most Valuable Player award. Bengaluru reached the final but lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Kohli won his first IPL title when Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings in the 2025 final. The victory ended the franchise's 18-year wait for its first IPL championship and came in his 18th season with the team. He also won the Orange Cap in 2024 after scoring 741 runs.

Kohli is known for an aggressive approach, quick footwork, strong wrist play, and an ability to control run chases. He commonly bats at number three in ODIs and is recognised for his cover drive and flick shot. His fielding is also noted for quick reflexes and reliable catching, while bowlers have often targeted his vulnerability to deliveries outside the off stump.

His honours include the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Padma Shri in 2017, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2018. He won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award four times and became the first player to win the ICC's Test, ODI, and overall Cricketer of the Year awards in the same year, in 2018. He was named ICC Cricketer of the Decade for 2011-2020.

Kohli established the Virat Kohli Foundation in 2013 to support underprivileged children. Its initiatives have included education programmes, charity events, support for senior citizens, and the Athlete Development Programme for promising young athletes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kohli and Anushka Sharma organised the #InThisTogether fundraising campaign for relief efforts.