A career in numbers: 15 years of King Virat Kohli in international cricket
Virat Kohli has completed 15 years of an amazing international career, having played his maiden international encounter - an ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on August 18, 2008.
Virat evolved from a promising child to one of the Indian cricket team's mainstays throughout the years. The former India captain boasts a slew of records and is just four ODI centuries away from breaking Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 49 ODI tonnes, which many thought was unbreakable at the time.
15 years in an international career is a long period, and the statistics of Virat's career are mind-boggling.
Virat Kohli, a modern-day batting legend, has played international cricket for 15 years. His adventure began in 2008, when he made his ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka. Despite losing by eight wickets, Kohli's extraordinary career saw him establish himself as one of the world's best hitters. His adventure
Star India batter Virat Kohli took to social media on Friday to express his gratitude to the almighty for guiding his journey through his illustrious 15-year cricketing career, which began on the same day in 2008 against Sri Lanka in an ODI match.
Virat Kohli's gratitude for completing 15 years is expressed in mysterious two words.
WATCH: Virat Kohli makes a touching gesture by inviting fans to take a photo with him.
Virat Kohli, the star Indian cricketer, has become one of the world's most adored sports celebrities. Another feature that his admirers like about him is his kindness.
Here we are Take a look at some of the most noteworthy statistics from his illustrious career in all three formats:
TESTS
The second batsman in Test annals to post two hundreds (115 & 141 - at Adelaide in December 2014) on captaincy debut - the first being Greg Chappell (Australia) - 123 & 109 not out vs West Indies at Gabba, Brisbane in 1975-76.
The only captain to register two centuries in a Test match against Australia in Australia.
The second Indian batsman (and the sixth overall) in Test Cricket to register a century in each innings of a Test match in Australia - the first being Vijay Hazare - 116 & 145 at Adelaide in January 1948. England's Herbert Sutcliffe, Wally Hammond, Denis Compton and West Indian, Rohan Kanhai are the other four batsmen to have achieved the distinction against Australia in Australia.
Managed 256 runs in the Adelaide Test - the most by any batsman on captaincy debut, obliterating New Zealand's Graham Dowling's tally of 244 (239 & 5) against India at Christchurch in 1967-68.
One of the two visiting batsmen to have recorded three hundreds at Adelaide, Kohli is averaging 98.50 (394 in four innings) - his sequence of scores being 116 & 22 in January 2012 and 115 & 141 in December 2014). England's Jack Hobbs had registered three hundreds in ten innings at this venue.
Remains one of the two Indian captains to have managed a hundred in the fourth innings in Tests - 141 vs Australia in December 2014. Mohammad Azharuddin was the first - 106 vs Australia at Adelaide in January 1992.
Has averaged 47.18 in the fourth innings in Tests while amassing 1038 runs in 27 innings, including two centuries and seven fifties - the second highest amongst the Indian batsmen with 1000 runs or more in the fourth innings behind 58.25 by Sunil Gavaskar, who managed 1398 runs, including four hundreds and eight fifties in 33 innings.
Managed 1,000 runs or more in a calendar year thrice - 1215 at 75.93, including four hundreds and two fifties, in 12 Tests in 2016. This is a record for most runs by an Indian captain in a calendar year in Tests. Amassed 1059 runs (ave.75.64) in ten Tests in 2017. His tally includes five centuries and a fifty. Created history in 2018 when he aggregated 1322, including five hundreds and five fifties, in 13 Tests, to become the only captain to manage 1000 runs in three successive years.
Ponting had amassed 1,000 runs in three calendar years in 2005, 2006 & 2008.
He remains the only Indian captain to hit five centuries in a calendar year and that too twice - 2017 and 2018.
Just two other Indian captains had managed 1,000 runs in a calendar year - 1095 (ave.60.83) in 12 Tests by Rahul Dravid in 2006 and 1000 (ave.62.50) in 12 Tests by Sachin Tendulkar in 1997.
With his 200 at North Sound in July 2016, he had become the first Indian captain to register a double hundred in a Test match in the Caribbean. He remains the only Indian Captain to post a double hundred in overseas Tests.
Kohli managed four double centuries in successive series - vs West Indies in West Indies in 2016; vs New Zealand in India in 2016-17; vs England in India in 2016-17 and vs Bangladesh in India in 2016-17 and had become the first batsman to accomplish the feat in Test annals.
Became the first Indian captain to post a double century vs Sri Lanka in Tests - 213 at Nagpur in November 2017.
With seven double hundreds as captain in Tests, he holds a world record in Tests.
