Celebrating 18 years since Virat Kohli's international debut on August 18, 2008, this content revisits his modest start against Sri Lanka. It traces his monumental journey from a 12-run debut to becoming a cricket icon with over 28,000 runs, multiple World Cup wins, and a legacy as one of the sport's greatest batsmen.
18 years ago, on August 18, 2008, the young cricketer from Delhi stepped onto the international stage, donning India’s senior jersey for the first time in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. And he is none other than Virat Kohli, who went on to become one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the sport.
Having already established himself as one of the next big things in international cricket, leading the India U19 team to World Cup triumph in 2008, Kohli’s entry into international cricket was marked by high expectations, setting off a remarkable journey that would forever change the landscape of world cricket.
Virat Kohli, who was 19 years old at the time of his international debut, was handed his maiden cap by then-captain MS Dhoni, stepping out to open the innings alongside his Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, who is now Team India’s head coach, in Dambulla.
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Footage of Kohli’s India Debut Goes Viral
As the Indian cricket fraternity celebrates 18 years of Virat Kohli’s international debut ignited a wave of nostalgia across social media, the Sony Sports Network shared rare footage of his first steps in international cricket, capturing the raw energy and enthusiasm of the young prodigy as he embarked on a legendary path.
In a video shared by Sony Sports on its X (formerly Twitter), which later went viral on social media, Kohli can be seen warming up before walking out to bat as an opener alongside Gautam Gambhir. After Gambhir’s 2-ball duck dismissal, Kohli was joined by Suresh Raina at the crease.
Virat Kohli hit a lone boundary on his international debut against Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Kulasekara. However, the future India captain’s stay at the crease was short as he was dismissed for 12 off 22 balls after being trapped plumb in front of the wickets by the same bowler, marking a humble beginning to his international career.
However, Kohli emerged as one of India’s standout batters in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, amassing 159 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 31.80 and a strike rate of 66.52 in 5 matches. Virat Kohli’s start to his international career might have been modest, but it laid the foundation for an extraordinary legacy that would ultimately make him one of the most feared and prolific run-scorers in cricket history.
His debut ODI series against Sri Lanka was the only international series Virat Kohli played in 2008, marking the exciting onset of a glittering international journey that would ultimately reshape the history of modern cricket.
How Did Virat Kohli Perform After His International Debut Series?
The debut series in the Indian jersey against Sri Lanka was the stepping stone for one of the most decorated and celebrated careers in world cricket history.
From 2008 to 2011, Kohli featured only in ODIs and T20Is, gradually establishing himself as an indispensable pillar of India's white-ball setup before finally making his much-anticipated Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies in Kingston. Before making his Test debut, the rising star scored 1505 international runs, including 4 centuries and 10 fifties, at an average of 47.03 in 42 matches.
Thereafter, Virat Kohli’s meteoric rise in international cricket saw him break numerous records, notching up 85 centuries and amassing over 28,000 runs in international cricket, 54 ODI centuries, and countless match-winning knocks that cemented his status as a modern-day icon of the sport.
Virat Kohli was part of the Team India that won the 2011 ODI World Cup. 2013 and 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2024 T20 World Cup, completing a legendary set of major global triumphs that cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game. He also holds the record for the most runs in a single edition of the ODI World Cup.
Kohli has aggregated 9230, 4188, and 14941 runs in Tests, T20Is, and ODIs, respectively. The former India captain retired from T20Is and Tests in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and he is solely focused on ODIs with an aim of extending his illustrious international career till the 2027 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
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