Few modern cricketers have changed the way a sport is played, watched, and talked about quite like Virat Kohli. He arrived as a confident young batter from Delhi and grew into the player opponents planned around and fans measured others against. His cover drive became a signature shot, his fitness set a new standard, and his hunger for runs rarely seemed to fade.
That reputation was not built on one great season. It was built over more than a decade of big innings in different countries, in different formats, and under very different kinds of pressure. Kohli chased difficult targets, led India through a demanding period, and stayed at the center of the game even as younger players arrived.
By October 2026, his story had entered a new chapter. He had stepped away from Test cricket and Twenty20 internationals, yet he remained a major figure in one-day cricket and the Indian Premier League. This profile looks at
his age, family, career, and wealth, sticking to what reputable reporting has actually documented.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Virat Kohli |
| Born | 5 November 1988, Delhi, India |
| Age | 37 in October 2026 |
| Height | About 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) |
| Profession | Cricketer, right-handed batter |
| Wife | Anushka Sharma, married December 2017 |
| Children | Two, daughter Vamika and son Akaay |
| ODI debut | 18 August 2008 |
| Test debut | 20 June 2011 |
| IPL team | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Major titles | 2011 ODI World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy, 2024 T20 World Cup |
A Delhi Childhood Shaped by Early Loss
Kohli was born in Delhi on 5 November 1988 and grew up in a family that valued hard work and discipline. His father, Prem Kohli, worked as a criminal lawyer, while his mother, Saroj Kohli, managed the home. Cricket caught his attention early, and he joined the West Delhi Cricket Academy when he was nine.
Coaches noticed his timing and temperament quickly. He moved through age-group cricket in Delhi, scoring heavily and earning a reputation as a player who wanted the big moment rather than avoiding it. His elder brother Vikas and elder sister Bhawna were part of a close family circle around him.
The family faced a serious blow in December 2006, when his father died. Kohli played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi the next day, an innings that is still widely remembered in Indian cricket writing. He has spoken since about how that period shaped his seriousness about the game, though he has kept much of his private grief out of public discussion.
The Under-19 World Cup Changed Everything
Kohli first became widely known in 2008, when he captained India to victory in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. He led from the front, handled pressure well, and showed the aggressive body language that would later define his senior career. Selectors were already watching him closely, and the tournament win gave his rise a clear public starting point.
He made his senior one-day international debut against Sri Lanka on 18 August 2008. The early years were not smooth. He moved in and out of the side at times, and he had to prove that his talent could survive against high-quality pace bowling away from home. Gradually, his ODI batting became more reliable, especially in run chases.
By the early 2010s, that reliability had become his trademark. He was calm when the required run rate climbed, strong through the off side, and unusually quick between the wickets. Fans began calling him the chase master, a nickname that reflected how often India won tight games with Kohli still at the crease.
Test Cricket, Captaincy, and a New Fitness Culture
Kohli made his Test debut against the West Indies in June 2011. At first, his Test record lagged behind his white-ball form, particularly in England in 2014. He answered that difficult tour in the most direct way possible, returning to England in 2018 and scoring heavily against a strong attack.
He became India’s Test captain after MS Dhoni stepped down during the 2014–15 Australia tour, and he later captained India across formats. Under Kohli, India placed unusual emphasis on fast bowling depth, fitness, and winning overseas. The team won a historic Test series in Australia in 2018–19, a result that remains a landmark in Indian cricket history.
His leadership style was intense and visible. He celebrated wickets loudly, backed his bowlers in public, and rarely hid his emotions on the field. Some critics found that style too heated. His supporters argued that it matched the ambition of a team that no longer wanted to settle for respectable defeats abroad.
That same intensity showed up in his preparation. Kohli transformed his own fitness, changed his diet, and spoke openly about training standards. The shift influenced younger Indian players, and team fitness expectations rose sharply during his years as captain. In that sense, his legacy is not only about runs, but also about professionalism.
Life After Tests: What Changed in 2024 and 2025
Kohli retired from Twenty20 internationals in June 2024, shortly after India won the T20 World Cup. He announced his retirement from Test cricket on 12 May 2025, closing a 123-Test career in which he scored 9,230 runs. The announcement surprised many fans, because he was still a central figure in Indian cricket conversation.
He did not leave the game altogether. He continued playing one-day internationals for India and remained with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, the franchise he has represented since the league began in 2008. RCB’s first IPL title win in 2025 was a major moment for Kohli, who had stayed loyal to one franchise through many near misses.
In ODI cricket, his record stands apart. He passed Sachin Tendulkar’s mark of 49 ODI centuries with his 50th during the 2023 World Cup, becoming the most prolific century-maker in ODI history. That achievement alone places him among the greatest one-day batters the sport has produced, and it is a record future players will chase for years.
Wife, Children, and a Guarded Family Life
Kohli married actor and producer Anushka Sharma in December 2017, after a private wedding ceremony in Tuscany, Italy. The couple had been in a relationship for several years before their marriage, and their wedding became one of the most discussed celebrity events in India that year.
They have two children together: daughter Vamika, born in January 2021, and son Akaay, born in February 2024. Kohli and Sharma have been careful about their children’s privacy. They have asked media outlets and fans not to photograph the children, and they generally avoid sharing their faces on social media.
Away from cricket, Kohli has supported charitable work through the Virat Kohli Foundation, which focuses on helping underprivileged children, including through sport. That charitable instinct echoes the approach of Paul Newman, whose food company directed profits to good causes and whose philanthropy became as famous as his acting. The comparison is about values, not cricket, but it helps explain why Kohli’s off-field work is taken seriously.
How Much Is Virat Kohli Worth?
There is no official, audited figure for Kohli’s personal wealth, so every number in circulation should be treated as an estimate. Reports in 2026 have generally placed his net worth at roughly $125 million to $135 million, or about ₹1,050 crore to ₹1,150 crore. Some outlets have given slightly lower or higher ranges, which is normal when private investments and endorsement terms are not disclosed.
His income has come from several sources. His central contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, his IPL salary, and his endorsement deals have all been substantial. He has also built business interests, most notably his One8 lifestyle brand, developed in partnership with Puma. Endorsements have long been reported as the largest part of his earnings.
That business profile is unusual for a cricketer of his generation. Kohli moved early into brand partnerships that fit his fitness image, and he has kept those deals consistent rather than chasing every offer. The result is a career that looks financially secure well beyond his playing days, even though the exact total remains private.
Lesser-Known Facts About Virat Kohli
- His nickname “Chiku” dates back to his early coaching days in Delhi.
- He was part of India’s victorious 2011 ODI World Cup squad, though he was still early in his senior career.
- Kohli won the ICC Cricketer of the Year award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, in both 2017 and 2018.
- He received the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Padma Shri in 2017, and the Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour, in 2018.
- He has spoken about enjoying football and following the sport closely away from cricket.
- His longevity with one IPL franchise is rare in a league built on auctions and frequent player movement.
- Time magazine named him among its 100 most influential people in 2018.
The discipline behind Kohli’s later career also invites a comparison with Clint Eastwood, whose long career survived changing fashions because he kept adapting his craft rather than relying on one early success. Kohli did something similar in cricket, rebuilding parts of his game after difficult tours instead of repeating what had stopped working. Longevity, in both cases, came from adjustment, not stubbornness.
His intensity at the crease has also been compared, in cricket writing, to the preparation associated with Robert De Niro, an actor famous for immersing himself completely in a role. Kohli’s version of that immersion is visible in his training, his running between wickets, and his refusal to switch off during long innings. The crafts are different, but the commitment is recognizably similar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Virat Kohli?
Kohli was born on 5 November 1988, so he was 37 years old in October 2026 and turned 38 on 5 November 2026. His age is often discussed alongside his workload, because he spent more than a decade playing across formats for India.
Who is Virat Kohli’s wife?
His wife is Anushka Sharma, an Indian actor and producer. They married in December 2017 in Italy and have two children together. Sharma has had a successful film career of her own, separate from Kohli’s cricketing fame.
Has Virat Kohli retired from cricket?
He has retired from two formats, but not from cricket entirely. He left T20 internationals in June 2024 and Test cricket in May 2025. He continued playing ODI cricket for India and the IPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after those announcements.
What is Virat Kohli’s net worth?
Published estimates in 2026 generally put his net worth at roughly $125 million to $135 million, though no official figure exists. The estimates combine his cricket contracts, IPL salary, endorsements, and business ventures, and different outlets report slightly different totals.
How many ODI centuries has Virat Kohli scored?
He holds the record for the most centuries in ODI cricket, having passed Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 with his 50th century at the 2023 World Cup. He has added to that tally since, and his ODI century record is one of the defining achievements of his career.
Which IPL team does Virat Kohli play for?
He plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the franchise he has represented since the IPL began in 2008. RCB won their first IPL title in 2025, ending a long wait for Kohli and the team’s supporters.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli’s career is best understood as a long argument for intensity, fitness, and belief under pressure. He did not simply score runs. He changed expectations around Indian batting, especially in chases and overseas Tests, and he kept raising his own standards after setbacks that might have ended a lesser career.
His later years, focused on ODI cricket and the IPL, still matter to Indian cricket. Younger players look to his preparation, fans still fill stadiums to watch him bat, and his records will shape debates about great batters for a long time. Whatever comes next, his place in the sport’s history is already secure.
