“Virat Kohli, captain, right-hand middle-order batsman, right-arm quick bowler, and my favorite cricketer is Herschelle Gibbs.” Everyone’s first introduction to the man came in the form of a classic 10-second video. We were first introduced to Virat Kohli in 2008.
In early 2008, a lively, pudgy teenager with spiked hair soared to prominence after leading India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Following India’s U-19 World Cup victory, the Royal Challengers Bangalore signed Virat Kohli for the inaugural season of the IPL.
He was in Malaysia leading the U-19 World Cup team. Virat Kohli stated he couldn’t believe the contract he signed with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Only then did he learn about the draft and the IPL drafting policy, which stated that each franchise may select two U-19 players with a salary cap.
RCB signed Virat Kohli for a reported fee of USD 30,000. (2008). It may come as a surprise, but Virat Kohli was among the players who took part in the maiden IPL game. In a game where Kiwi legend Brendon McCullum set the standard for the league with an exceptional 73-ball 158 to power the Kolkata Knight Riders to a score of 222.
The Dada-led KKR team were not put to the test much in the opening half of the game, losing only four wickets. The RCB bowlers were demoralized as a result of the Kiwi’s thrashing.
With a target of 223, the Royal Challengers were under extreme scoreboard pressure from the outset. The urgency was evident as Indian legend and former RCB skipper Rahul Dravid was removed off the first ball of the second over.
Virat Kohli’s Frantic debut
Then walked the youngster, with the spotlight on him and the weight of expectation on his shoulders as, like the rest, it was his first match in franchise cricket. Ishant Sharma, a comrade, came steaming in at the Chinnasamy after uprooting the stumps off Dravid’s opening ball. Upon being greeted on the massive stage, Ishant delivered a bouncer that skimmed at the little youngster from Delhi.
Virat was given little to no time to adapt as he edged one to fine leg to take his first steps on the big stage. He didn’t spend as much time in the middle as he would have liked and was dismissed on his fifth ball off Ashok Dinda. As the scoreboard read RCB were in a disarray, a half-tracker was hauled back onto the stumps. They were 12 for the loss of two wickets at the end of the third over as the Kolkata Knight Riders rolled them over.
Fast bowler Praveen Kumar top scored for RCB with 18 runs as they were bowled out for 82 in just 16 overs.
The aftermath.
Both he and his beloved franchise had a dismal on Virat Kohli’s IPL debut. Fortunately for him, he was trusted by the captain, Rahul Dravid, and was given a long rope instead of being dropped and derailing his confidence.
Two days later, RCB faced the Mumbai Indians, and Virat Kohli’s IPL debut hit 23 from 14 balls. An innings with three boundaries and a six. Due to having a dismal IPL debut season, Virat Kohli finished with 165 runs in 12 innings at an average of 15 and a strike rate of 105.09.
Virat Kohli was retained by the club, and he repaid the faith with season numbers of 246 runs and 307 runs in the following two seasons, earning him the position of vice-captain in 2010. He was granted leadership duties in 2012 and hasn’t looked back since.
Virat was never released by the franchise and has claimed openly that he is intensely loyal to the franchise and will never play for another team. Despite relinquishing his captaincy following RCB’s elimination from the 2021 IPL, he remained a player.
In the IPL, Virat has scored 6621 runs in 215 innings from Virat Kohli’s IPL debut. He has an incredible record of 5 centuries and 44 50s, and He finished the 2016 season as the leading run-getter of the tournament with 973 runs and four centuries. To this day, no one has come close to matching it.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli did not have a memorable debut or debut season, but he has ensured that this has not slowed his development to become a superior batter, and he is now recognized as one of the greatest of all time.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs )
1) Is Virat Kohli the greatest IPL player ever?
Virat Kohli is widely regarded as the best player in IPL history. Virat has proven his quality and skill in multiple League matches, winning awards including as MVP, Orange Cup, and the ‘Maximum Sixes’ award over the course of several IPL seasons.
2) Who has scored the most number of runs?
Virat Kohli has scored the most runs in IPL history.
3) Can Virat Kohli win the IPL with the Royal Challengers of Bangalore?
He is certainly capable of doing so, but cricket is not a one-man sport. The final feather in his cap would be to win the IPL with RCB of his own bat, and he is competent at doing so.
4) How many runs has Virat Kohli scored in the IPL?
He won the orange cap in the IPL 2016 with 973 runs, which is still the most runs scored in an IPL season. In 223 games, he has scored 6624 runs.
