Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), extended his congratulations to Virat Kohli as the celebrated batter marked 16 years in international cricket. Kohli made his debut on August 18, 2008, in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla, just a few months after leading India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
“16 years ago today, a 19-year-old @imVkohli stepped onto the international stage for the first time, marking the beginning of what has become a truly legendary career. Congratulations to the King on completing 16 years in international cricket!” Shah posted on ‘X’.
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Kohli’s debut match saw him open the batting with current India head coach Gautam Gambhir, where he scored 12 runs. He further concluded his first international series with a total of 159 runs from five matches, averaging 31.80.
Kohli’s IPL team
Kohli’s IPL team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, also celebrated the milestone on ‘X’: “16 years of the King, and an eternity-old Kingdom of magic. All hail, all hail King Kohli. From debut to certified GOAT status. Through 16 years of relentless passion, Virat didn’t just play the game, he set the blueprint for a new perfect brand of cricket!”
Over his career, Kohli has established himself as a dominant force in cricket. He has amassed 13,906 runs in 295 ODIs, setting the record for the most centuries by a male batter in this format with 50 centuries, including 27 in run-chases. He has also scored 8,848 runs in 113 Test matches and 4,188 runs in 125 T20Is.
However, Kohli’s illustrious career includes winning the ODI World Cup in 2011, the Champions Trophy in 2013, and the T20 World Cup in 2024, after which he retired from T20 internationals. He also holds the record for the most wins by an Indian Test captain, with 40 victories out of 68 matches during his tenure as skipper.
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