Virat Kohli - International Career

International Career

Following a hundred in the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia in 2008, Kohli was selected in the ODI squad for India's tour of Sri Lanka in 2008. Kohli made his debut in One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka in the Idea Cup in 2008 when both Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were injured. He opened the batting in the first match, and was dismissed for 12. But he made a crucial 37 in a low-scoring second match in the series, which helped India win and level the series. He made his first half-century, a score of 54, in the fourth match which helped India win the series. This was India's first ODI series win against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. He was included in the squad for the home ODI series against England later that same year but was not given a chance to play, due to the inclusion of Tendulkar and Sehwag in team. Kohli was then dropped from the squad for the five-match ODI series in Sri Lanka against Sri Lanka in January 2009.

Kohli played in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy after Yuvraj Singh was injured, and since mid-2009 has been the reserve ODI batsman. Yuvraj regained fitness for the home series against Australia, so Kohli only played in occasional matches in the series.

In the absence of the injured Yuvraj, Kohli got a chance to play in the 4th ODI when Sri Lanka toured India in December 2009. He scored his first ODI century, milking singles with Gautam Gambhir with whom he shared a 224-run partnership for the third wicket as India won by seven wickets to seal the series 3–1.

Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar was rested for the tri-nations tournament in Bangladesh in January 2010 which enabled Kohli to play in each of India's five matches. After making nine in the opening loss to Sri Lanka, he top-scored with 91 to help secure a win after India collapsed early in their run chase against Bangladesh on 7 January 2010. He then ended unbeaten on 71 to help win the match for India with a bonus point after they chased down their target quickly. The next day, he scored his second ODI century, against Bangladesh, bringing up the mark with the winning runs. He was much praised for his performances during the tournament, and became only the third Indian to score two ODI centuries before their 22nd birthday, following the footsteps of Tendulkar and Suresh Raina. However, in the final against Sri Lanka, he made only two as India collapsed to 5/60 and an eventual four-wicket defeat.

Kohli was named vice-captain of the ODI side for the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in June 2010 as all the other first-choice players skipped the tournament. In the same series, he became the fastest Indian to score 1,000 runs in ODI cricket. He was India's leading run-scorer in 2010, with 995 runs from 25 matches at an average of 47.38 with three centuries.

Kohli was included in the Indian squad for Zimbabwe T20I series in June-2010. Kohli made T20I debut in the first match where he played an impressive innings with Yusuf Pathan, when Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina were dismissed by Ray Price in the eighth over. Pathan and Kohli counterattacked and took India to an easy win in the 15th over. Since then, he has been a regular member in T20I matches for India.

2011 Cricket World Cup

Kohli was preferred over Raina for the 2011 World Cup and became the first Indian to score a century on World Cup debut. He also scored 59 against West Indies while sharing a 122-run patnership with Yuvraj Singh. His 83-run partnership for the third wicket with Gautam Gambhir was instrumental in India taking the upper hand during their run chase against Sri Lanka in the final. He made 282 runs in 9 innings at an average of 35.25. Between 1 January 2009 and 1 September 2011, Kohli was India's second highest run-scorer in ODIs with 1,994 runs at an average of 47.47.

Test debut

When India toured the West Indies in June and July 2011, they chose a largely inexperienced squad, resting Tendulkar and others such as Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag missing out due to injuries. Kohli was one of three uncapped players in the Test squad. India won the Test series 1–0 but Kohli struggled on his debut in the format; he struggled with the short ball amassing just 76 runs from five innings. Particularly troublesome for Kohli was the fast bowling of Fidel Edwards, who dismissed him three times in the series.

India tour of England in 2011

Initially dropped from the Test squad for India's four-match series against England in July and August, Kohli was recalled as cover for the injured Yuvraj Singh, though did not play in the series. He played in the subsequent ODI series, scoring 194 runs from five innings including a century, although India lost the series 3–0. In October, England faced India in a return ODI series in India. India won 5–0 and Kohli was the highest run-scorer on either side with 270 across five matches and a highest score of 112 not out.

West Indies tour of India in 2011

In November–December 2011, the West Indies toured India for three Tests and five ODIs. Following his ODI success against England the previous month, Kohli was included in the Test squad ahead of Raina. In competition with Yuvraj Singh for the number six position, it was not until the final match of the series that Kohli was selected in the team. The match ended in a draw, and having won the first two Tests, India took the series 2–0; Kohli scored a pair of fifties in the match, passing his previous highest score of 30. India won the subsequent ODI series 4–1 and Kohli managed 243 runs at an average of 60.75 with a highest score of 117.

Australia Test series and CB series 2012

Kohli was included in India's squad for the tour of Australia in December 2011. After the first Test at Melbourne, he felt his position in the team was in jeopardy, and during the second Test at Sydney, Kohli was fined half of his match fee for swearing at fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground who were insulting him. In an interview after the incident, he remarked "Scoring eight hundreds in one-day internationals can't be a fluke. It's international cricket as well. I don't know why people have been questioning my technique or temperament so much. ... All of this is a learning curve for me. I am playing on difficult wickets, in Australia." Kohli top scored in each of India's innings in the third Test at Perth, with 44 and 75, and in the fourth and final match at Adelaide, Kohli scored his maiden Test century of 116 runs in the first innings; it was the only century scored by an Indian in the series. India lost the series 4–0 and Kohli was the top scorer for India in the same series.

India remained in Australia for the triangular ODI series, that followed the Tests; it was contested by Australia, Sri Lanka and India. Kohli was India's leading run-scorer in the series scoring 373 runs with two half centuries and a century – again, the only century scored by an Indian in the series. Though India did not progress to the final, the victory against Sri Lanka in India's last match kept them in contention until the final fixture of the group stage. Chasing 321 to win, Kohli came to the crease with India's score at 86/2 and went on to score 133 not out from 86 balls to take India to a comfortable win with 13 overs to spare. He was named Man of the Match for his effort, which included scoring 24 runs from an over by Lasith Malinga.

2012 Asia Cup

He was named vice-captain of the ODI team for the 2012 Asia Cup in March. He scored 183 off 148 balls against Pakistan in the fifth match of Asia Cup 2012, recording the joint-fourth highest score by an Indian in ODIs. Coming in at 0/1, he struck 22 fours and a six to take India to a record chase of 330. This is his highest score in ODIs and the highest individual score in the Asia Cup. Kohli's innings is the highest individual innings for a batsman against Pakistan in a ODI surpassing previous record by Brian Lara (156).

New Zealand tour of India in 2012

Kohli made 212 runs in the two Test matches including a century and two half-centuries at an average of 106. In the second Test at Bangalore, Kohli scored his second Test century. He made 103 runs with 14 boundaries and one six in the first innings. In the second innings, he made 51* runs and was awarded Man of the Match.

2013 ICC Champions Trophy

Kohli was included in the 15-man squad for the tournament. He played in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka and scored 144 runs off 120 balls at a strike rate of 120 and led India to victory.