During the last decade, no batsman has climbed higher or gained more reputation than Virat Kohli, the current captain of the Indian team. Since his debut in 2008, Kohli has shown his authority to be regarded as one of the best hitters of the contemporary era, if not the best. Due to his consistency and class, Kohli is spoken at the same time as Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, two cricketers with the largest fan base in India. Among Indian batsmen, Kohli has the best marks in Test, ODI and T20I with 937, 911 and 897 points respectively. When it comes to records, Kohli, at 42 tonnes, is second only to the great Tendulkar in terms of century leaders in ODI and holds the record for being the fastest hitter to reach 8000, 9000, 10000 and 11000 runs in ODI.
On the occasion of Kohli’s 32nd birthday, we take a trip back in time to revisit the five most epic hits of his career, which established him as an epitome of hitting.
1. Hurricane in Hobart (133 * off Sri Lanka, 2012)
Despite having scored eight centuries prior to this competition against Sri Lanka, it was in Hobart during the 2012 CB series that Kohli truly came of age. With India in the middle of a sloppy campaign, going blank in the 0-4 test series and not enduring the best of three series, Kohli played the innings of his life. Kohli delivered a memorable round en route to scoring an undefeated 133 on just 86 balls to help India score 321 runs in fewer than 37 overs. His treatment of Lasith Malinga was the stuff of legends. He took the yorker specialist for 24 runs in one lap in perhaps the most dominant hitting performance seen against him.
2. Asian Cup Classic (183 vs Pakistan, 2012, Dhaka)
Rarely do things get bigger than an India-Pakistan match. A few months after Kohli had ripped Sri Lanka’s skin, the batsman, who was playing his second Asian Cup tournament, rose to the occasion and started a century of victories. With Pakistan posting 329/6 and India losing opening batsman Gautam Gambhir without a run on board, Kohli came in and took a while before punishing a pretty decent bowling attack from Pakistan. Kohli hit 22 fours and six for a career-best 183, grabbing players by the neck and seeing India within 48 overs. It was ably supported by half a century from Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma.
3. Epic Mohali (82 * vs Australia, World T20 2016)
2016 was one of Kohli’s best years in international cricket, and with the T20 World Cup being played in India, the batter’s eyes lit up. He emerged as the Man of the Series at the tournament, but his innings against Australia during a Super 10 match stood out.
Kohli had already led India to a victory against Pakistan with half a century of testing, but it was his blow at Mohali that catapulted him as a great T20. Chasing 161 to win and with India in a small position at 49/3, Kohli and Yuvraj Singh began to rebuild innings. Once Yuvraj dated India on 4/94, Kohli channeled his inner beast to organize a beautiful partnership with MS Dhoni. Kohli reached fifty, but it was not the most important highlight of the match. Already labeled the ‘India Pursuit Master’, he raced through the grounds like a maniac and at 39 out of three, he pitched James Faulkner for 14 of the first three. Kohli then hit Nathan Coulter-Night for three fours in the over to reduce the equation to four needed for the final over. Dhoni connected the winning runs, but the sight of Kohli falling to the ground and drenching the moment showed just how much it meant to him.
4. Bury the ghosts of England (149 vs England, Birmingham, 2018)
After the nightmare tour of England in 2014, where he averaged a poor 13.50, Kohli redeemed himself when he brought India into the country four years later. But this time, Kohli led from the front and finished the five-round series with an average of 59.30, scoring 593 runs. In the first Test of the series, Kohli hit with great courage and determination to score 149, while no other Indian hitter could go past 26. It was an inning in which he faced a battle of attrition with James Anderson, his nemesis of the previous one. excursion. In the third test, Kohli eliminated scores of 97 and 103, and although India lost the series 1-4, Kohli was able to bury the ghosts of his traumatic past.
5. Reach batting nirvana in Adelaide (115 and 141 vs. Australia, 2014)
Kohli, in his first test as captain, almost saw India at home had it not been for one of India’s famous collapses. In the absence of Dhoni, who was recovering from a finger injury, Kohli scored twin centuries in Adelaide, his 115 hitting in the first innings leading India’s strong response of 444 to Australia’s declared 517/7. In the second inning, Australia declared 290/5, putting India 362 runs to go. Kohli anchored another 141 wrestling punch and, together with Murali Vijay, led India to 242/2, a stage where it seemed likely they would take a 1-0 early lead. But Nathan Lyon claimed 7/152 and in the process, set off one of India’s worst hitting collapses, which saw them lose eight wickets for 73 runs that were thrown for 315.
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