Virat Kohli is the 38-year-old Indian batter who walks out at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on 10 November 2026 needing just 22 runs to become the first player in history to score 2,000 ODI runs against New Zealand. It comes with India leading the five-match series 2–0 and one win away from sealing it.
From captaining India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2008 to holding the record for the most ODI centuries, Kohli has spent nearly two decades rewriting the record books. This biography covers his age, height, career, wife Anushka Sharma, net worth and the 2,000-run chase against New Zealand.
| Full Name | Virat Kohli |
| Age | 38 years old (born 5 November 1988) |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) |
| Birthplace | Delhi, India |
| Occupation | Cricketer (top-order batter) |
| Known For | Most ODI centuries (55); 15,183 ODI runs; fastest to 15,000 ODI runs |
| Net Worth 2026 | About $127 million (around ₹1,050 crore), estimated |
Early Life
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi, into a Punjabi family. His father, Prem Kohli, was a criminal lawyer and his mother, Saroj Kohli, a homemaker. He grew up in West Delhi with elder brother Vikas and elder sister Bhavna, and joined the West Delhi Cricket Academy at nine, under coach Rajkumar Sharma.
His father died of a cardiac arrest on 18 December 2006, when Kohli was 18. The next day he still turned out for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka and scored 90. He made his first-class debut for Delhi in November 2006 and, two years later, captained India to victory at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, the performance that announced him to the wider cricket world.
Career
Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on 18 August 2008 and scored his first century in the format against the same opposition at Kolkata in December 2009. He was part of the India side that won the 2011 World Cup on home soil, and he went on to win the Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2024.
His Test career began against West Indies at Kingston in June 2011, and his first Test century came at Adelaide in January 2012. He took over the Test captaincy during the 2014–15 tour of Australia and became India’s most successful Test captain, winning 40 of his 68 Tests. In 2018 he became the only Indian to hold the ICC’s number-one ranking in all three formats at the same time. He retired from Test cricket on 12 May 2025 with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.
In one-day cricket, his numbers stand alone. Kohli has scored 15,183 runs in 318 ODIs at an average of 58.84, with 55 centuries — the most by any batter in ODI history — and 80 half-centuries. He is the fastest batter to 15,000 ODI runs, reaching the mark in 315 innings against West Indies on 27 September 2026, and his 8,741 runs in ODI chases, at an average of 66.21, are also a record. At the 2023 World Cup he scored 765 runs, the most by any batter in a single edition, including his record-breaking 50th ODI century in the semi-final against New Zealand.
He retired from T20 Internationals after being named Player of the Match in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, finishing with 4,188 runs in 125 T20Is. In the IPL he is the tournament’s leading run-scorer, with 9,336 runs in 275 innings and nine hundreds for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with whom he finally lifted the IPL trophy in 2025. Across all international cricket he has 28,601 runs and 86 centuries in 566 matches. In September 2026 he announced that he intends to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, which would be his last. His 2026 ODI form — 552 runs in nine innings at an average of 69.00 — suggests he is building towards it in earnest.
Personal Life
Kohli married Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma on 11 December 2017 in a private ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, after the pair met on an advertising shoot in 2013. The couple have two children: daughter Vamika, born on 11 January 2021, and son Akaay, born on 15 February 2024. They are among the most followed couples in Indian public life, and both guard their children’s privacy closely, asking media outlets not to publish their photographs.
Off the field, Kohli runs the Virat Kohli Foundation, which supports underprivileged children through sport and education, and he is widely credited with changing the fitness culture of Indian cricket — a standard the younger players in the side, including Anshul Kamboj, have grown up following. His long-time team-mate Mohammed Shami has spoken about how Kohli’s example lifted the whole squad.
Virat Kohli Net Worth 2026
Virat Kohli’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at about $127 million, or around ₹1,050 crore, according to the most widely cited estimates from Surprise Sports and TechnoSports. The figure is an estimate, not a disclosed fact — no official number exists — and one biography site claims about $300 million without citing any source, a figure the other estimates do not support.
His income comes from his BCCI contract, his IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bengaluru — retained for ₹21 crore for 2026 — a large endorsement portfolio, and his fashion, fitness and restaurant ventures. He remains, by most measures, the wealthiest cricketer in the world.
The 2,000-Run Chase and the New Zealand Series (November 2026)
Going into the third ODI at Hamilton on 10 November 2026, Kohli has scored 1,978 ODI runs against New Zealand — 22 short of becoming the first batter to reach 2,000 ODI runs against them. His record against the Black Caps includes seven centuries and 11 half-centuries, giving him 18 fifty-plus scores, level with Ricky Ponting. New Zealand would become the fourth opposition against whom Kohli has passed 2,000 ODI runs, after Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies; only Sachin Tendulkar has previously done so against four different teams.
He has been India’s standout batter in the series so far. His 74 off 51 balls steered India to a five-wicket win in the rain-shortened first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, on 4 November, though he managed only seven in the second ODI at Wellington, where India still won by four runs under the DLS method after bowling New Zealand out for 134. India lead the five-match series 2–0, and a win in Hamilton would give them an unassailable 3–0 lead.
Hamilton is not an easy venue for India — they have won only three of their 12 ODIs at Seddon Park, and New Zealand are unbeaten in their last 11 home ODI series. Rain has already disrupted both matches in the series. The series is being led by Shubman Gill, who took over the ODI captaincy in October 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli is 38 years old. He was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi, India, and celebrated his 38th birthday on 5 November 2026, a day after scoring 74 in the first ODI against New Zealand.
How tall is Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli is 5 feet 9 inches tall (175 cm).
Who is Virat Kohli’s wife?
Virat Kohli is married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma. They married on 11 December 2017 in Tuscany, Italy, and have two children: daughter Vamika (born January 2021) and son Akaay (born February 2024).
How many ODI centuries has Virat Kohli scored?
Virat Kohli has scored 55 ODI centuries — the most by any batter in ODI history. He passed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 with his 50th century in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. Across all formats he has 86 international centuries.
What is Virat Kohli’s net worth in 2026?
His net worth in 2026 is estimated at about $127 million, or around ₹1,050 crore, according to the most widely cited estimates. The figure covers his BCCI contract, his ₹21 crore IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, endorsements and business ventures, and is an estimate rather than a disclosed figure.
Will Virat Kohli play the 2027 ODI World Cup?
Yes — in September 2026 Kohli announced that he intends to play the 2027 ODI World Cup and said it would be his last World Cup for India. He has retired from Tests and T20 Internationals and now plays only ODIs and the IPL.
