During his illustrious career, Kohli won the 2011 ODI World Cup, the Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2025, and the 2024 T20 World Cup. He also took his team to the final of the first World Test Championship.
The right-handed batsman has played 123 Tests, 305 ODIs and 125 T20Is, amassing 9230, 14255 and 4188 runs respectively across the three formats. Kohli also holds the record for scoring most centuries (51) in ODI cricket.
The 37-year-old has played 267 IPL matches and posted 8661 runs at an average of 39.55. He is the leading run-getter in the history of the cash-rich league, having won the title for the first time in 2025.
What if Virat Kohli played in the 2000s?
If Kohli had played in the 2000s, the Indian batting line-up would have become even better than it already was. The likes of Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were the mainstays of the Indian batting department, while the likes of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni also managed to carry on their legacy.
In the 2000s, some believe the pitches were heavier, fewer T20s and bowling attacks with several legends such as Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun Pollock and Muttiah Muralitharan, to name a few.
Had Kohli played at that time, India could have challenged the mighty Australian team of that time. However, it might have been difficult for Kohli to establish himself as one of the greatest hitters of all time as the focus would have been on Tendulkar.
That said, Kohli’s work ethic, fitness and aggression would have been even more revolutionary at the time. The change would be even more noticeable against a backdrop of less athletic players. India are one of the strongest teams in world cricket at the moment, and Kohli’s dedication to fitness has played a key role in that. His presence in the 2000s could have brought about change much sooner.
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