NEW DELHI: Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), extended his wishes to Virat Kohli, the eminent batter, on achieving the significant milestone of 15 years in international cricket.
On August 18, 2008, a youthful Kohli, aged 19 years and 287 days, marked his debut on the international stage in an ODI encounter against Sri Lanka in Dambulla.
This momentous occasion came just a few months after his leadership led the team to victory in the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia. Since then, Kohli has become the embodiment of unwavering performance, consistently amassing runs for India across all formats.
"Congratulations to the incredible @imVkohli on 15 years of unwavering commitment to international cricket! Your passion, perseverance, and remarkable achievements have inspired millions. Wishing you continued success and many more milestones ahead!" wrote the BCCI secretary on the X platform, formerly called Twitter.
Currently, Kohli's international cricket tally stands at an impressive 25,582 runs across 501 appearances, including a remarkable count of 76 centuries and 131 half-centuries. His batting average remains at an impressive 53.63.
Kohli's return to competitive action for India is anticipated during the 2023 50-over Asia Cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tournament is scheduled to take place from August 30 to September 17.
In the group stage of the Asia Cup, India is set to face their arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2. Subsequently, matches against Nepal on September 4 and the Super Four stage are on the horizon, culminating in the final that is earmarked for Colombo.
(With IANS inputs)
