NEW DELHI: One of the modern day batting greats, Virat Kohli on Friday achieved a significant milestone in his career as he completed 15 years in international cricket. His journey began back in 2008 when he made his debut for India against Sri Lanka in an ODI at Dambulla.
In his debut game, Kohli played as an opener and scored 12 runs off 22 balls. Unfortunately, India lost the match by 8 wickets to Sri Lanka. However, this was just the start of a remarkable career that would see Kohli go on to become one of the finest batsmen in the world.
To celebrate this milestone, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video link on its social media handle.
The video showcased the highlights of Kohli's latest ODI century, which was his 46th overall. This century came against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram earlier this year. Kohli's innings was a majestic one, as he scored an unbeaten 166 off just 110 balls, including 8 sixes and 13 fours.
During this match, Kohli partnered with Shubman Gill (116 off 97) to add 131 runs for the second wicket. Their partnership helped India post a massive total of 390 for 5 in their 50 overs. The Indian team then bowled out Sri Lanka for a meagre 73 runs, securing a massive 317-run victory. This victory became India's biggest win in terms of margin of runs in one-day international cricket.
The achievement of completing 15 years in international cricket was also acknowledged by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who congratulated Kohli for his unwavering commitment to the sport. Shah praised Kohli's passion, perseverance, and remarkable achievements, stating that they have inspired millions of cricket fans around the world.