Introduction

Let’s be honest — you already know who Virat Kohli is. But knowing someone’s name and truly knowing their story are two completely different things.

Most people know him as the guy who breaks records. Fewer people know about the 18-year-old boy who played Ranji Trophy cricket the morning after his father died. Fewer still know about the years when critics wrote him off, when he struggled, when the entire country turned its back — and he still showed up.

That is the real story of Virat Kohli. And that is what this article is about.

A Delhi Boy With Big Dreams

Virat Kohli Biography (Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in a middle-class Punjabi family in Delhi. His father Prem Kohli was a criminal lawyer who worked hard to give his children a decent life.) His mother Saroj Kohli kept the home together. He has an elder brother Vikas and an elder sister Bhavna.

Growing up in West Delhi, Virat was not the kind of kid who sat still. From the time he could hold a bat, he was playing cricket — in the gully, in the park, anywhere he could find space. His father noticed early that this was not just a hobby. In 1998, when Virat was just nine years old, Prem Kohli enrolled him at the West Delhi Cricket Academy and handed him over to coach Rajkumar Sharma.

The Day That Defined Him

Skip to December 2006. Virat is 18 years old. His father has just died of a stroke. The family is in grief. Anyone would understand if the young cricketer took time away from the game.

Instead, Virat showed up the very next morning for a Ranji Trophy match and scored 90 runs.

When people ask what Virat Kohli is made of, this moment is the answer. No speech, no motivational quote — just a bat, a pitch, and a boy who refused to break.

School and Education

Virat studied at Vishal Bharti Public School in Delhi and later at Saviour Convent School in Paschim Vihar. He did not go to college. Cricket was his education — and honestly, given where he ended up, it is hard to argue with that choice.

Virat and Anushka — A Love Story India Loves

It started with a shampoo advertisement. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma met on a commercial shoot, and somewhere between takes, something clicked. They dated quietly for years while both were at the peak of their careers — him scoring centuries, her delivering blockbusters.

On 11 December 2017, they got married in a private ceremony in Tuscany, Italy. No big Bollywood drama, no massive guest list — just the two of them, their families, and a beautiful Italian countryside. India woke up the next morning to wedding photos and collectively went “aww.”

They have two children together — daughter Vamika, born in January 2021, and son Akaay. Both kids have been kept almost entirely away from cameras and social media. Virat and Anushka have been very clear about giving their children a normal childhood, and that choice says a lot about who they are as parents.

The Cricket Career — From U19 to Legend

How It All Began

Virat captained India’s Under-19 team at the 2008 World Cup and brought home the trophy. That same year he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka. The first few matches were forgettable. He was raw, unpolished, and honestly — pretty ordinary on paper.

But Virat Kohli has never been ordinary on paper.

The 2011 World Cup

By 2011, India was chasing its second World Cup. Virat was part of a batting lineup that included Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Gautam Gambhir. He was not even the main story — but he played his role with composure and consistency that older, more experienced players could not always manage. India won. And Kohli’s journey to the top had officially begun.

Virat Kohli Quick Facts 2026 

The Chase Master

Virat Kohli Biography Ask any cricket fan what Virat Kohli does best and they will tell you — he chases. There is something almost frightening about watching Kohli walk in during a chase. He reads the game differently, calculates risk better than almost anyone alive, and somehow finds a way to make difficult targets look routine.

The “Chase Master” title was not given to him by a marketing team. It was earned, match by match, crisis by crisis, over more than a decade.

Captain Kohli

When Kohli took over the Test captaincy, he inherited a decent team and turned it into a ruthless one. He demanded fitness standards that nobody had asked for before. He pushed for aggressive cricket in conditions and situations where India had traditionally played safe. Under him, India became the number one Test team in the world.

His captaincy was not without controversy — he was direct, sometimes blunt, and the standards he set for himself and others were not easy to meet. But the results spoke for themselves.

2024 T20 World Cup

India had not won a World Cup in over a decade when they entered the 2024 T20 World Cup. Virat had a difficult tournament — until the final.

When it mattered most, he scored 76 off 59 balls in the final and guided India to the title. After the trophy was lifted, he walked away from T20 International cricket on his own terms. It was perfect timing, the way only he could manage it.

2025 Champions Trophy — Pakistan Match

February 2025. India vs Pakistan in Dubai. The kind of match that stops a billion people in their tracks.

Pakistan set 242. India lost early wickets. The pressure was enormous. And then Virat Kohli walked in and did what Virat Kohli does. He scored an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, formed a match-winning partnership with Shreyas Iyer, and took India home by six wickets. In doing so, he also became the fastest batter in history to reach 14,000 ODI runs.

Ricky Ponting, watching from the commentary box, said something worth remembering: “I’ve always said big games equal big names. No bigger game for India than a game against Pakistan. And once again, it was Kohli to get the job done.”

India went on to win the Champions Trophy. Of course they did.

Test Retirement

In May 2025, Virat announced his retirement from Test cricket. He finished with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, 30 centuries, and an average of 46.85. The Border-Gavaskar series had been tough, and he chose to go out while still respected rather than overstay his welcome. It was the right call.

RCB — 18 Years, Finally a Title

For 18 years, Virat played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. For 18 years, the title did not come. Fans watched, hoped, suffered, and stayed loyal anyway — largely because Virat himself never left.

Then in 2025, it happened. RCB won their first IPL title. The scenes that followed — Virat lifting the trophy, the tears, the crowd — were among the most emotional moments in Indian cricket. And in 2026, they did it again. Back-to-back champions.

Records & Stats 

Net Worth 2026 — How Much Is He Worth?

As of 2026, Virat Kohli’s estimated net worth is over Rs. 1,000 crore, which works out to around $125 to $130 million. That number comes from multiple directions — his BCCI contract as an A+ grade athlete, his IPL salary of Rs. 15+ crore per season, brand deals with Puma, MRF, Audi, and several others, his fashion brand Wrogn, his restaurant chain Nueva, and a social media presence of over 200 million Instagram followers that makes him one of the most commercially valuable athletes on the planet.

The Fitness Revolution

Early in his career, Virat Kohli was not the fittest player on the team. He has said so himself. But somewhere in his mid-twenties, he made a decision — and that decision changed Indian cricket forever.

He turned vegetarian in 2019. He built a gym routine that most professional athletes would find punishing. He treated sleep and recovery as seriously as practice. At 37, he is still one of the fittest cricketers in the world — and every young Indian cricketer who shows up to training today with a protein meal and a recovery plan has Virat to thank for making that the norm.

Things You Might Not Know About Virat Kohli

Jersey number 18 is not random. It is the date his father passed away. Every time Virat walks out to bat wearing that number, he carries that memory with him.

He became the first Indian to cross 200 million followers on Instagram, on 7 June 2022. He is a massive fan of Roger Federer — the two have met and spoken about the mental side of sport in ways that would make for a fascinating book. Through the Virat Kohli Foundation, he funds education and healthcare for children who grow up without the opportunities he had. During COVID-19, he and Anushka personally raised over Rs. 11 crore for relief efforts.

FAQ

What is Virat Kohli’s age in 2026?

He is 37 years old, born on 5 November 1988.

What is Virat Kohli’s height?

5 feet 9 inches, or 175 cm.

Who is Virat Kohli’s wife?

Anushka Sharma — actress, producer, and by all accounts the person who keeps him grounded. They married in December 2017 in Italy.

What is Virat Kohli’s net worth in 2026?

 Over Rs. 1,000 crore, approximately $125 to $130 million.

How many centuries has Virat Kohli scored?

85 in total — 54 in ODIs (world record), 30 in Tests, and 1 in T20Is.

When did Virat Kohli retire from Test cricket?

May 2025.

How many ODI runs does Virat Kohli have?

14,797+ at an average of 58.71.

The Final Word

Virat Kohli is 37 years old and still playing cricket at the highest level. He has broken records that people thought would never be broken. He has won tournaments that a generation of Indian fans had given up on. He has built a career that will be studied and admired long after he is done.

But here is what will actually last — the image of an 18-year-old walking onto a cricket field the morning after losing his father, picking up a bat, and scoring 90 runs. That is not a cricket story. That is a story about what human beings are capable of when they refuse to stop.