- By Namrata Vijay
- Wed, 05 Nov 2025 02:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Happy Birthday Virat Kohli: There have been batters who have smashed runs and then there's Virat Kohli, a batter who has turned these matches into theatre. His knocks aren't just about records. These strories are full of grit and determination.
Since the last few years, he has played multiple brilliant innings which have helped him become as of the greatest batter of the modern era.
Let's take a look at Virat Kohli's top 5 best knocks, which has helped him become one of the best.
1. 133 vs Sri Lanka, Hobart, 2012
In February 2012, Virat Kohli showed a glimpse of his sublime form in Hobart. While chasing a mammoth target of 321 in 41 overs to keep the team's hope alive in the Commonwealth tri-series, Kohli had registered a brilliant knock.
He went all guns-blazing in Lasith Malinga's over as he had scored 24 runs in one over. By hitting 16 fours and two sixes, he had scored 133 runs off 86 balls and took the team actoss the line in 36.4 overs. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten knock and thats when the world saw a chase master.
2. 115 & 141 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2014
During the first Test as the skipper, he announced his arrival as a brilliant leader in world cricket. In MS Dhoni's absence he led the team from the front and had smashed two tons and proved his worth.
His first inning was quite fluent but it was the second inning which defined him. While chasing 364, he had played aggressively against Australia even though the team suffered a batting collapsed. The visitors did lose the match by 48 runs.
3. 254 vs South Africa, Pune, 2019
His brilliant knock of 254 runs in Pune is stll the best innings of his Tet career. He came into bat when the hot were reeling at 136/2 and then dominated the innings which went for about 8 hours. While batting against a formidable bowling attack which had the likes of Rabada, Philander, and debutant Nortje, Kohli was just brilliant.
He had 33 four and 2 sixes and it still is his one of the best Test knocks. His double century helped the team post a target of 601/5 and they won the match by an innings and 137 runs.
4. 82 vs Pakistan, Melbourne, 2022
This was the night when the whole world bowled to Kohlio yet again. At the MCG in front of 90,000 fans watching, the Rohit Sharma-led side were reeling at 31/4 while chasing a target of 160 runs. What happened after that was magic. He had scored a brilliant knock of 82 runs off 53 balls.
He had hit consecutive sixes in Haris Rauf's over. After they had won the match on the last ball, he once agin proved why he is the best.
5. 149 vs England, Edgbaston, 2018
This is one knock which redefined his career in the longest format. After being struggling in 2014 against England, he came out to bat at Edgbaston to prove his critics wrong. The team suffered a collapse but he didn't lose his focus.
Against bowlers like Anderson, Broad, and Stokes he had scored a brilliant knock of 149 runs and helped the team bounceback.
Each run was like a redemption. With him raising his bat in Birmingham is one of Test cricket's most iconic scenes.