Virat Kohli and wife and actress Anushka Sharma announced the second child, a baby boy : Akaay

Virat Kohli (Hindi pronunciation; born 5 November 1988) is an Indian international cricketer and the former
captain of the Indian national cricket team. He is a right-handed batsman and an occasional medium-fast
bowler. He currently represents Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL and Delhi in domestic cricket.
Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket and the best of the
21st century. He holds the record as the highest run-scorer in T20I and IPL, ranks third in ODI, and
stands as the fourth-highest in international cricket. He also holds the record for scoring the most
centuries in ODI cricket and stands second in the list of most international centuries scored. Kohli was a
member of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, and captained India
to win the ICC Test mace three consecutive times in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Two child a virat :
Vamika on January 11,
2021.
Akaay was born on February 15, 2024.

Kohli in 2023
Personal information :
Born 5 November 1988 (age 35)
Delhi, India
Nickname Cheeku[a]
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[2]
Batting Right-handed
Bowling Right-arm medium
Role Top-order batter
Relations Anushka Sharma (wife)
Website viratkohli.foundation
International information
National side
India (2008–present)
Test debut (cap 269) 20 June 2011 v West Indies
Last Test 4 January 2024 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 175) 18 August 2008 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI 19 November 2023 v Australia
ODI shirt no. 18
T20I debut (cap 31) 12 June 2010 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I 17 January 2024 v Afghanistan
T20I shirt no. 18
Domestic team information
Years Team
2006–present Delhi
2008–present Royal Challengers Bangalore
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I
Matches 113 292 117
Runs scored 8,848 13,848 4,037
Batting average 49.15 58.67 51.75
100s/50s 29/30 50/72 1/37
Top score 254* 183 122*
Balls bowled 175 662 152
Wickets 0 5 4
Bowling average – 136.00 51.00
5 wickets in innings – 0 0
10 wickets in match – 0 0
Best bowling – 1/13 1/13
Catches/stumpings 111/– 151/– 52/–
Medal record
Men’s Cricket
Representing India
ICC Cricket World Cup
Winner 2011 India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka
Runner-up 2023 India
ICC Champions Trophy
Winner 2013 England & Wales
Runner-up 2017 England & Wales
ICC T20 World Cup
Runner-up 2014 Bangladesh
ICC World Test Championship
Runner-up 2019–2021
Runner-up 2021–2023
ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup
Winner 2008 Malaysia
ACC Asia Cup
Winner 2010 Sri Lanka
Winner 2016 Bangladesh
Winner 2023 Pakistan & Sri Lanka
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 26 January 2024
ecognition

Male Cricketer of Decade (2011-2020)Stand named after Virat KohliAnimation
Player of the year

20172018
Test Player of the year

2018
ODI Player of the year

2012201720182023
ICC Tournaments won

2011 Cricket World Cup2013 ICC Champions Trophy2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup
Teams

Indian national cricket teamRoyal Challengers BangaloreDelhi cricket team

In 2013, Kohli was ranked number one in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen. In 2015, he achieved the summit
of T20I rankings. In 2018, he was ranked top Test batsman, making him the only Indian cricketer to hold
the number one spot in all three formats of the game. He is the first player to score 20,000 runs in a decade.
In 2020, the International Cricket Council named him the male cricketer of the decade.

He has received many accolades for his performances in cricket. He won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award
four times in 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2023. He also won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, given to the ICC
Cricketer of the Year, on two occasions, in 2017 and 2018 respectively. In 2018, he became the first player
to win both ICC ODI and Test Player of the Year awards in the same year. Also, he was named the Wisden
Leading Cricketer in the World for three consecutive years, from 2016 to 2018. At the national level,
Kohli was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Padma Shri in 2017 and India’s highest sporting
honour, the Khel Ratna award, in 2018.

In 2018, Time magazine included him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kohli
has been deemed one of the most commercially viable athletes, with estimated earnings of ₹634 crore
(US$79 million) in the year 2022.

Early life
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. His father, Prem Kohli,
worked as a criminal lawyer and his mother, Saroj Kohli, served as a housewife. He has an older brother,
Vikas, and an older sister, Bhawna.Kohli’s formative years were spent in Uttam Nagar. He commenced his
early education at Vishal Bharti Public School. According to his family, Kohli exhibited an early affinity
for cricket as a mere three-year-old. He would pick up a cricket bat, display natural skill, and request
his father to bowl to him.

In 1998, the West Delhi Cricket Academy (WCDA) was created. On 30 May of that year, Prem Kohli, who’d
espoused his younger son’s fervour for cricket, assisted nine-year-old Kohli’s aspirations and arranged
for him to meet Rajkumar Sharma, who initially perceived him to be just another enthusiastic and determined
young boy. However, two weeks later, Sharma was impressed by Kohli’s accuracy and power in throwing.
Upon the suggestion of their neighbours, Kohli’s father considered enrolling his son in a professional
cricket academy, as they believed that his cricketing abilities merited more than just playing in gully
cricket. Despite his abilities, he faced the setback of being unable to secure a place in the under-14
Delhi team, not due to a lack of merit but due to extraneous factors. Prem Kohli received offers to relocate
his son to influential clubs, which would have ensured his selection, but he declined the proposals, as he
was determined that Kohli should earn his recognition based on his own merit and overcome the system of
nepotism and deceit prevalent in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). Kohli persisted and
eventually found his way into the under-15 Delhi team. He received training at the academy while
simultaneously participating in matches at the Sumeet Dogra Academy located at Vasundhara Enclave.
As per Sharma’s recollection of Kohli’s initial days at his academy, he exuded remarkable talent, making
it arduous for the coach to curb his enthusiasm. Kohli remained prepared to bat at any position, and often,
Sharma had to physically coerce him to leave the training sessions, as he was reluctant to depart.
In pursuit of furthering his cricketing career, he transitioned to Saviour Convent School during his
ninth-grade education. Kohli’s ardent passion for cricket compelled him to travel long distances
with his father to ensure that he never missed a match. With time, he diligently honed his skills and
diversified his range of shots, commanding respect from the local bowlers.

On 18 December 2006, Kohli experienced the loss of his father due to a cerebral attack.
During his childhood, his father played a crucial role in supporting his cricket training. Kohli has credited
his father as the one who drove him to practice every day. He has expressed his feelings of missing his
father’s presence at times.Following the demise of Kohli’s father, his mother observed a significant
change in his personality. Kohli appeared to become more mature overnight, and he began taking every
cricket match seriously. He harboured an aversion to exclusion from games and appeared to channel his
entire existence into the pursuit of cricket following his father’s untimely demise. Kohli’s family
resided in Meera Bagh, Paschim Vihar until the year 2015, after which they relocated to Gurgaon.

Youth and domestic career
Delhi
Kohli’s junior cricket career kicked off in October 2002 at the Luhnu cricket ground in a match against the
host state of Himachal Pradesh. In his debut match, Kohli managed to score a total of fifteen runs. His
first half-century in national cricket came at Ferozeshah Kotla, where he scored 70 runs against Haryana.
By the end of the season, Kohli had amassed a total of 172 runs, emerging as the highest run-scorer for
his side with an average of 34.40. During the 2003–04 season, Kohli was appointed as the captain of the
Under-15 team. In his first match of the season, he scored 54 runs in Delhi’s victory over Himachal Pradesh.
In the next fixture against Jammu and Kashmir, Kohli scored his maiden century with a score of 119 in a BCCI-
conducted game. By the end of the season, he had amassed a total of 390 runs at an average of 78, which
included two centuries. Towards the end of 2004, Kohli earned selection for the 2004–05 Vijay
Merchant Trophy with the Delhi Under-17 team. In the four matches that he played, Kohli accumulated a total
of 470 runs, with his highest score being 251* runs. The team’s coach, Ajit Chaudhary, lauded his performance
and was particularly impressed with his temperament on the field. Kohli commenced the 2005–06 season
with a score of 227 against Punjab. Following their victory over Uttar Pradesh in the quarter-finals, Delhi
was scheduled to play against Baroda in the semi-finals. The team had high expectations from Kohli, who
had promised his coach to finish the job. True to his word, Kohli went on to score 228 runs, leading
Delhi to victory. The team later secured the tournament with a five-wicket win over Mumbai, where he
contributed with a half-century in the first innings. He ended as the highest run-scorer with a
total of 757 runs from 7 matches, averaging 84.

On 18 February 2006, Kohli made his debut in List A cricket, playing against Services in the Ranji
One-Day Trophy, but he did not have the opportunity to bat during the match. In 2006, Kohli had garnered
enough attention to earn a spot in the state senior team. Subsequently, he made his first-class debut on 23
November 2006, during the opening match of the Ranji Trophy season against Tamil Nadu. However, his debut
innings was a brief one, as he was dismissed after scoring ten runs. In a sequence of three matches,
Kohli failed to score a fifty, leading his coaches to provide him with counselling. In the subsequent match
against former champions, Karnataka, Delhi found themselves trailing with a score of 130/5, with Kohli
remaining unbeaten on 40 at the end of the day’s play. That very night, Kohli’s father passed away at 3:54
a.m. Despite the heart-wrenching news, Kohli returned to the match and continued to bat and scored 90 runs
before he was dismissed. The team’s coach, Chetan Chauhan was impressed by Kohli’s resolute determination
and unwavering attitude in the face of adversity. Venkatesh Prasad also lauded his crucial knock, which was
executed in the midst of an emotional upheaval. Following his dismissal, Kohli immediately attended his
father’s funeral. His innings, however, proved to be crucial for Delhi as they were able to avoid the follow-
on. The team’s captain, Mithun Manhas, praised Kohli for his performance, acknowledging its pivotal role in
the team’s success.

Kohli’s foray into T20 cricket took place in April 2007, during the Inter-State T20 Championship, where
he emerged as the top run-getter for his team with a tally of 179 runs at an average of 35.80. In
September 2008, Kohli played in Nissar Trophy against SNGPL (reigning champions of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy
from Pakistan). He emerged as the leading scorer for Delhi in both innings, registering 52 runs in the
first innings and a towering 197 in the second. The match ultimately ended in a draw, SNGPL being declared
the victors due to their lead in first innings. In the 2009–10 Ranji Trophy season, Kohli returned to
domestic cricket. During a match against Maharastra, he opened the batting and scored 67 runs, helping Delhi
to secure the bonus point required for victory. Kohli’s performance reinvigorated the competitive spirit
of the domestic cricket circuit. Ashish Nehra observed his growth over time and shared his thoughts:

I did not see him waste his time. If not on the field, he would be busy in the gym. I saw him first as a
chubby-cheeked bubbly young kid who grew into a perfect athlete. His junior cricket lessons have obviously
helped him. I did not know him well, but had heard a lot about his exploits in junior cricket.
ndia Under-19
In July 2006, Kohli was selected in the India Under-19 squad on its tour of England. He averaged 105 in the
three-match ODI series against England Under-19s, while also averaging 49 in the three-match Test series
. Following India Under-19’s success in both the ODI and Test series, the team’s coach Lalchand Rajput
noted Kohli’s adeptness in facing both pace and spin bowling and expressed his admiration for profound
technical prowess.[38] In September, the India Under-19 team toured Pakistan. In the first Test match, Kohli
scored 63 and 28 as India won by 271 runs against Pakistan Under-19s. In the second match, he contributed 83
runs to India’s victory by 240 runs and an innings. He concluded the tour with 80 runs in the final ODI game
at Lahore. In early 2007, Kohli was a part of the India Under-19 team that toured New Zealand, where he
scored 113 in the first Test match. The series ended in a draw, with a 1–1 score line. In the following month,
the team travelled to Malaysia for a tri-series against England Under-19s and Sri Lanka Under-19s, where Kohli
did not get many opportunities to bat. In July–August, India Under-19 embarked on a tour for a tri-series
against Sri Lanka Under-19s and Bangladesh Under-19s, where he did not score a half-century in any of the
matches. However, he made a comeback with scores of 144 and an unbeaten 94 in the following Test series.

In February–March 2008, Kohli assumed the captaincy of the Indian squad that went on to triumph at the 2008
Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia. He demonstrated his competence as a batsman, amassing 235 runs
in 6 games at an average of 47, ranking as the tournament’s third-highest scorer and one of three cricketers
to compile a century. His century, a knock of 100 runs off 74 balls, versus the West Indies Under-19s in
a group stage encounter, was lauded by ESPNcricinfo, as “the innings of the tournament.” This innings paved
the way for India’s 50-run triumph and fetched Kohli the man of the match award. Additionally, Kohli’s
all-round performance in the semi-final against New Zealand Under-19s, where he captured 2 wickets and
contributed 43 runs in the run-chase, was significant to India’s 3-wicket victory. In the championship
match, Kohli managed a modest score of 19 against South Africa Under-19s, his contribution lead to India’s
eventual 12-run win (via D/L method).

In June of the year 2008, Kohli and his Under-19 teammates Pradeep Sangwan and Tanmay Srivastava were
awarded the Border-Gavaskar scholarship. This scholarship, aimed at honing the skills of the chosen
cricketers, provided an opportunity to train for six weeks at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in
Brisbane. In a bid to identify potential talent for the senior team, Kohli was selected to represent
India Emerging Players in the Emerging Players Tournament of 2008. Notably, his finest performance in the
tournament was against New Zealand Emerging Players, where he played a knock of 120 runs, leading India to a
seven-wicket victory. With an aggregate of 204 runs, Kohli’s performances did not go unnoticed by the national
selectors who were observing his progress. He began his international cricket journey by joining the senior
team in Colombo, having played 28 Under-19 ODIs and 12 Under-19 Tests.

International career
2008–2009: Debut and maiden stint
In August 2008, Kohli was included in the ODl squad for the tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in
Pakistan. Prior to the Sri Lankan tour, Kohli had limited experience, with only eight List A matches under
his belt. So, his selection was considered a “surprise call-up”. During the Sri Lankan tour, as both
first-choice openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, were unable to play due to injury, Kohli was
required to fill the role of makeshift opener throughout the series. On August 18, 2008, Kohli made his
international debut at the age of 19 in the first ODI of the tour, where he was dismissed for 12 runs, caught
dead in front by an incutter from Nuwan Kulasekara. However, in the fourth match of the series, Kohli
scored his inaugural half century in the ODl format, with a total of fifty-four runs scored.

Following the postponement of the Champions Trophy to 2009, Kohli was picked as a replacement for the injured
Shikhar Dhawan in the India A squad for the unofficial Tests against Australia A in September 2008.
Despite limited opportunities, he managed to make an impact in the single innings that he participated in,
scoring 49 runs. In October 2008, Kohli participated in a four-day tour match against Australia as part
of the Indian Board President’s XI team. The match featured a formidable Australian bowling line-up that
consisted of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Jason Krejza. Despite this, Kohli
displayed his batting prowess by scoring 105 runs in the first innings and an unbeaten 16 runs in the second
innings, demonstrating his ability to perform against high-level international competition.

In November 2008, Kohli was selected for inclusion in the squad for the home ODI series against England.
However, he was not given an opportunity to play in any of the matches. In December 2008, Kohli was awarded
a Grade D contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as part of the annual contract list
for the Indian national team which entitled him to receive ₹1.5 million (equivalent to ₹4.2 million or
US$52,000 in 2023). Despite being awarded a contract, in January, Kohli was dropped for the five-match
ODl series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

In July–August 2009, Kohli was selected in the four-team Emerging Players Tournament, held in Australia.
He was selected to open the innings for the Indian Emerging Players team in the tournament, and he went on
to have a standout performance. Kohli finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, with a total of 398
runs from seven matches, at an average of 66.33. He was particularly impressive in the final match, where he
scored 104 runs off 102 balls against the South Africa Emerging Players team in Brisbane. His strong
performance helped lead his team to a 17-run victory and the tournament title. At the conclusion of
the tournament, Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of the Indian national selection committee, expressed his
admiration for Kohli’s performance during the tournament. Kohli later stated that this tournament was a
“turning point” in his career.

In August 2009, Kohli returned to the national team after recovering from a minor shoulder injury, replacing
the injured Gautam Gambhir in the Indian squad for the tri-series in Sri Lanka. He was also utilized as
a middle order batsman in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy due to an injury sustained by Yuvraj Singh. In
December of that year, he was included in the team for home ODI series against Sri Lanka and scored 27 and
54 in the first two ODIs before making way for Yuvraj, who regained fitness for the third ODI. However,
due to the reoccurrence of a finger injury, Yuvraj was ruled out indefinitely, which led to Kohli’s return
to the team in the fourth ODI at Kolkata. In that match, Kohli scored his maiden ODI century–107 off 114
balls–while sharing a 224-run partnership for the third wicket with Gambhir. As a result of this performance,
India won by seven wickets and sealed the series 3–1.

2010–2011: Rise through the ranks
In January 2010, Kohli was given the opportunity in tri-nation ODI tournament in Bangladesh, as Tendulkar
was rested for the event. During the series, Kohli became just the third Indian player to score two ODI
centuries before the age of 22. He was widely hailed for his performances, and ultimately emerged as the
leading run-scorer of the series, with 275 runs from five innings at an impressive average of 91.66. After
the match, the Indian captain MS Dhoni stated about Kohli that “he has grabbed his chances” and that “he has
matured now.” Dhoni went on to say that “To us, he comes as a ‘humble guy’. He might come across different to
the world.

Kohli batting in an ODI against New Zealand in December 2010
Kohli’s initial foray into leadership on an international level occurred in May–June 2010, when he was
appointed as vice-captain for the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. This appointment came
as many established players were rested for the tour. However, in the first match, Kohli was dismissed for a
duck, without facing a single delivery, a rare and unusual mode of dismissal. Despite this early setback,
Kohli managed to become the fastest Indian batsman at the time to reach 1,000 runs in ODI cricket, achieving
this milestone in 24 innings. Kohli also made his International T20 debut against Zimbabwe at Harare,
where he scored an unbeaten 26. Later that month, during the 2010 Asia Cup, Kohli was included in the
Indian team and was given the role of batting at number 3. However, his struggles with form started as he
scored a total of 67 runs at an average of 16.75. This poor form was also reflected in the tri-series
against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Sri Lanka where his average was a mere 15.

Despite his recent struggles with form, Kohli was retained in the Indian ODI squad for a three-match series
against Australia in October. In the only completed match of the series, held at Visakhapatnam, Kohli scored
a century, earning him the man of the match award. He candidly acknowledged that he was under significant
pressure to maintain his place in the team, given his previous failures in the preceding series. During
the home ODI series against New Zealand, Kohli scored another match-winning century in the first match,
marking his fourth ODI hundred and second in succession.The Indian team emerged victorious with a 5–0
whitewash over New Zealand, and Kohli’s exceptional performances in the series solidified his position in the
ODI team and made him a strong candidate for a spot in India’s World Cup squad. He was India’s
leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2010, accumulating 995 runs from 25 matches at an average of 47.38, including
three centuries and seven half-centuries.

When did Virat and Anushka get married?

The Indian skipper and the actor-turned-producer got married on 11 December, 2017 in a private ceremony.
Virat Kohli’s wedding took place pretty secretly and the rest of the world got to learn about it only after
the couple posted their wedding pictures on their respective social media. The posts went viral instantly,
creating a buzz in the sports and entertainment world. The event was one of the most talked-about that year.
A destination wedding is normally expensive. Virat Kohli’s marriage took place at The Borgo Finocchieto in
Tuscany and the stay of one week at the vintage resort can cost you up to INR 1 crore/person. Considering
that about 44 people went to attend the celebration in Tuscany, the cost must have gone up to INR 45 crore.
The outfits for both Anushka and Virat were designed by Sabyasachi, who is one of India’s leading designers.
Their whole attire must have cost them around INR 1 crore.

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli had named their elder child, a daughter, Vaamika, which means an epithet of
the Goddess Durga, situated on the left side or vam of Shiva. As per available data, Vamika as a name was
the least popular among five babies per million in 2010 and was highest shared among 28 babies per million
in 2021.

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli have managed to pique interest with yet another interesting name, this time for
their son- Akaay.

Virat and Anushka tied the knot on December 11, 2017 in Italy. The duo was blessed with Vamika on January 11,

2021. The couple was tight-lipped about their second pregnancy.

Virat Kohli had opted out of the ongoing Test series against England, citing personal reasons.

India are leading the five-match series 2-1.

Meaning of Akaay
While Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli are yet to announce the source of the name, Akaay literally means
body-less or निराकार.

Akaay comes from the Hindi word ‘kaya’, which means body and therefore Akaay means someone who is greater
than the physical manifestation. Akaay in Sanskrit means someone without body, incorporeal.

It also means the fire on the funeral pile, or an abode.

Interestingly, the name also has a Turkish connection, wherein the word ‘Akaay’ means shining moon.