Virat Kohli 38th Birthday 2026: Virat Kohli turns 38, has been setting records for 18 years

Virat Kohli 38th Birthday 2026: Indian cricket super‑star and one of the world’s veteran batsmen, Virat Kohli, is celebrating his 38th birthday on November 5.

Having made his international debut on 18 August 2008, Kohli has forged a distinct identity with his spectacular performances, fitness, aggressive style and match‑winning innings. He has 86 international centuries to his name and leads the world in One‑Day Internationals with 55 centuries. A day before his birthday, his 74‑run innings against New Zealand in an ODI once again displayed his brilliant style to fans.

Virat Kohli 38th Birthday 2026: Journey that began with the Under‑19 World Cup

Virat Kohli first came into the limelight in 2008 when, under his captaincy, the Indian team won the Under‑19 World Cup. This victory gave his career a new identity and soon earned him a place in the senior Indian team.

After debuting in ODIs against Sri Lanka on 18 August 2008, Kohli continuously improved his performances. Initially he struggled to cement his spot in the side, but gradually he became the strongest link in India's batting line‑up.

His batting showcases a superb blend of technique, aggression and the ability to score under pressure. This is why he is counted among the world’s best batsmen.

Virat Kohli’s historic record in One‑Day Internationals

Virat Kohli’s record in ODIs is extraordinarily impressive. He has 55 ODI centuries, the most by any batsman in this format. During the 2023 ODI World Cup he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 centuries.

Kohli’s greatest strength has been batting while chasing a target. Even in difficult conditions he remains patient and has the ability to see a match through to the end.

He also became the fastest batsman to reach 10,000 runs in ODIs, achieving the milestone in just 205 innings.

The 2023 World Cup record that still stands

The 2023 ODI World Cup was one of the most memorable tournaments of Virat Kohli’s career. He scored 765 runs in 11 innings throughout the tournament.

With this performance he became the highest‑run‑scorer in a single ODI World Cup edition, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup.

In the semi‑final of that World Cup against New Zealand, Kohli also hit his 50th ODI century. This achievement became a historic moment in his career.

King Kohli’s brilliance in the T20 World Cup as well

Virat Kohli has also proven his batting mettle in T20 international cricket. He participated in five T20 World Cup editions from 2012 to 2024, scoring a total of 1,292 runs.

His performance in the 2014 T20 World Cup was particularly notable. In that tournament Kohli scored 319 runs, which at the time was the highest by any batsman in a single edition.