5 Memorable knocks of Virat Kohli

Reigning supreme for India across all formats, Virat Kohli stands tall as a modern-day batting colossus. Making his international debut on 18 August 2008, the run-machine rose up the ranks quickly to achieve legendary status in the sport. Raking up momentous figures and smashing records for fun, the Indian skipper continues to script glory as he marches ahead in the quest to become one of the greatest batsmen of all-time.

As he marks his 11th anniversary in international cricket, we look at 5 of his many superlative knocks that will be cherished by the fans for a long time to come.

#1 133 v Sri Lanka (Hobart, 2012)

An innings that continues to leave us awestruck even today, Virat Kohli's blitzkrieg against Sri Lanka at Hobart in 2012 will probably go down as one of his greatest ODI knocks. Battling to stay alive in the triangular series, the Men in Blue had a stiff task of chasing 320 within 40 overs to score a bonus point. The effort was led brilliantly by Kohli, who breathed fire right from the word go and smashed the Lankan bowlers to all parts of the park. The young batsman notched up an 86-ball-133, studded with 13 boundaries and 2 sixes, to guide India home in 36.4 overs.

#2 183 v Pakistan (Dhaka, 2012)

The Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan in 2012 will be fondly remembered for Virat Kohli's mastery while chasing a daunting target of 330 runs. After losing Gautam Gambhir early in the innings, the Indians were put on the backfoot by a boisterous Pakistani bowling attack. However, Kohli, in the company of Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, did not allow the opposition to get on top of the game at any stage. The Delhi lad functioned in top gear as he went on to make a career-best 183 off 148 deliveries to register a memorable win for Team India.

#3 149 v England (Birmingham, 2017)

In 2017, the genius of Virat Kohli hoisted the flag in the previously unconquered territory of red-ball cricket in England. After being bullied by the English seam attack during India's tour of the country in 2014, a seemingly resolute Kohli made a strong comeback at Edgbaston in 2017 to conquer his demons. Equipped with a better understanding of his game, the Indian skipper played exceptionally well against a prowling pace battery to score his first Test hundred on English soil. A gritty knock of 149 against the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad drew applause from the entire cricketing fraternity as Kohli surpassed one of his career's major hurdles.

#4 82 v Australia (Mohali, 2016)

The 2016 T20 World Cup in India is etched in our memories for multiple reasons. From India's last-ball heist against Bangladesh to West Indies' fiery brand of cricket, the tournament was adorned by many highpoints for the fans to cherish. Among all, Virat Kohli's match-winning knock against Australia, in Mohali, occupies a special place in the hearts of Indian fans. Taking the field in a virtual knockout, the hosts had their backs to the wall chasing a target of 161. And once again, it was the 'King' who rose to the occasion to deliver the goods in crunch time for his team. Holding fort while losing wickets at the other end, Kohli essayed an ingenious knock to beat the Aussies. The run-machine smashed a 51-ball-82 and carried his bat through to guide India into the semi-finals.

#5 141 v Australia (Adelaide, 2014)

A knock that is rated highly by the man himself, Kohli's 141 against Australia in 2014 takes the crown when it comes to batting brilliance in Test cricket. Chasing a mighty target of 364 for victory, the visitors were not given much of chance to topple the Australians. However, the Indian skipper had other thoughts as he walked out to face the music in India's second innings. Occupying the crease with unwavering belief and grit, Kohli took the attack to the bowlers and slammed a memorable century as he barged towards pulling off an unlikely win for his team. However, with little support from the lower order, his effort turned futile as India lost the game by 48 runs.