Virat Kohli is celebrating his 37th birthday today as the India star has grown another year wiser. Kohli, one of the stalwarts of the game, has been a prolific
star for India, and is expected to wear the Blues in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.
Virat Kohli, born on November 5, 1988, has had the rare chance to play international cricket on his birthday only a few times.
Although playing on his birthday is routine for players, each of these occasions carries its own significance in his illustrious career. Here is an elaboration of the three notable instances when Kohli played on November 5.
1. Test Match Against South Africa - 2015 Mohali
On his 27th birthday, November 5, 2015, Virat Kohli captained India in a Test match against South Africa in Mohali. This match marked Kohli's early phase as full-time captain of the Indian Test side. Though he couldn't score big in this game-registering 1 run in the first innings and 29 in the second-this occasion was important as it showed Kohli leading the team at home in a high-stakes encounter. The match underscored the beginning of Kohli's era as India's Test captain, eventually becoming the most successful captain in Indian Test cricket history.
2. T20 World Cup Match vs Scotland - 2021
Kohli's second birthday game was during the ICC T20 World Cup on November 5, 2021, against Scotland. Here, he led India as captain in the shortest format. Kohli scored a quick unbeaten 2 runs off 2 balls while steering the team to a comfortable win. This match is notable as part of Kohli's final T20 World Cup as captain. It was also not a significant match for India as they crashed out of the tournament from group stages.
3. ODI World Cup Match vs South Africa - 2023 Kolkata
Perhaps the most memorable birthday performance came in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. On his 35th birthday, Kohli scored a magnificent century (101 off 121 balls), helping India chase down a strong total against South Africa. In doing so, he equaled the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most ODI hundreds by an Indian, which was a historic milestone celebrated by cricket fans worldwide.
