Virat Kohli turns 37: A look at his top 5 ODI knocks

As Virat Kohli turns 37, relive his top 5 ODI knocks that defined his greatness and unmatched consistency over the years.

Virat Kohli, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, has dominated world cricket with his incredible dedication, consistency, and fitness. When it comes to ODI cricket, he takes his game to a different level. Currently, Kohli is only behind Sachin Tendulkar as the second leading run-getter in the 50-over format. The right-handed batter has collected 14255 runs in 293 innings at an average of 57.71, with 51 centuries and 75 fifties.

The Delhi-born has shown his class while batting on number three for India. In 238 innings at this position, Kohli has bagged 12134 ODI runs at an average of 60.37 and a strike rate of 94.15 with 44 centuries and 65 fifties. Over the years, he has gifted India several fantastic match-winning knocks.

On his 37th birthday, let’s take a look at Virat Kohli’s top five ODI knocks:

133* vs SL in Hobart 2012
This was Kohli’s coming-of-age knock, one that established his reputation as a formidable white-ball player. Sri Lanka posted 320 runs in their allotted 50 overs in Hobart during the tri-series in 2012. But the Blue Brigade needed to chase down the target in 40 overs for a better net run-rate. Despite a good start of 86/2 in 9.2 overs, they needed to continue the same aggression for another 30 overs.

Kohli counter-attacked with a fine knock of unbeaten 133 runs off just 86 balls to complete India’s chase in less than 37 overs. It brought self-confidence to a team deflated by a string of losses in Tests in the previous year. Kohli tore apart Sri Lanka’s bowling, collecting 24 runs in an over against Lasith Malinga’s trademark yorkers.

The knock displayed Kohli’s unmatched ability to frame any humongous chase comfortably.

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183 vs Pak in Mirpur 2012
Just a couple of weeks after his Hobart heroics, Kohli took the center stage against Pakistan in Dhaka during the Asia Cup 2012. India were up against their arch-rivals, Pakistan, who posted a huge score of 329 runs on the board. Gautam Gambhir’s second-ball duck didn’t provide the Blue Brigade a stable start in the chase.

Kohli joined his idol- Tendulkar- in the middle. They put up a fine partnership of 133 runs for the second wicket. By the time Tendulkar was dismissed for 52 runs, India were in a good position in the chase. Meanwhile, the Delhi-born completed his 11th ODI century in just 97 balls.

He converted that to a huge score of 183 runs in 148 balls with the help of 22 boundaries and two sixes at a strike rate of 123.65. The Blue Brigade completed the chase by six wickets in 47.5 overs. 

100* vs Aus in Jaipur 2013
India made a sweet transition in the 50-over format during their Champions Trophy 2013 title-winning campaign. The focus was on the young batting line-up to carry the country’s success in the future. The first glimpse of Kohli taking charge of the batting department came against Australia in Jaipur later in the same year.

The George Bailey-led side recorded a monumental score of 359 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Despite India’s 176-run opening partnership in 26.1 overs, they needed to pursue the same hostile batting in the middle overs.

Kohli, however, had different plans. He registered the fastest ODI century for India in just 52 balls. The right-handed batter remained unbeaten for 100 runs, riding on eight boundaries and seven sixes at a strike rate of 192.31. The hosts earned victory in the successful chase by nine wickets with 39 balls to spare.

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115* vs Aus in Nagpur 2013
Two weeks after Kohli’s jaw-dropping knock in Jaipur, Australia threw another 350+ run chase for the MS Dhoni-led side. It was the sixth ODI of the seven-match series in 2013, a game that the home side needed to win to stay alive. Kohli walked into the middle after Rohit Sharma’s dismissal on 79 in the 30th over.

The balance between aggression and running between the wickets from the Delhi duo of Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan was exceptional. After the latter’s dismissal for 100 runs, India lost their middle order cheaply. But Kohli was on a different mission as he took India over the finishing line with another unbeaten knock of 115 runs. He bagged 18 boundaries and one six at a strike rate of 174.24.

160* vs SA in Cape Town 2018
As much as Kohli is fabulous in chasing a target, his understanding of setting a total is equally fantastic. By 2018, he had already achieved several records in the 50-over format. But against South Africa’s formidable pace attack of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Chris Morris, the challenge was different.

Before that clash, the Proteas had won 17 successive ODIs at home. A victory in the third clash of the series against India would have sealed the series. Kohli came to the crease after the end of the first over and dominated every bowler of the opposition.

The right-handed batter stayed unbeaten on 160 runs in 159 balls with the help of 12 boundaries and two sixes to carry India to 303/6. He also put up a 67-run partnership in 44 balls with Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the seventh wicket. Out of those runs, Kohli made 43 off just 25 balls. In reply, the Proteas fell short of the target by 124 runs.

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