No cricket fanatic in the world can claim to be unaware of the current India captain's name. Born and brought up in the Indian capital city of New Delhi, Kohli emerged on the international radar after leading India to the title win at the ICC U19 World Cup in 2008. However, Kohli didn't exactly announce himself at the highest level till 2012 - four years after his debut - when in Australia he hit his maiden Test century (116) in Adelaide. By the end of that tour Kohli had also shown the world just how good a batsman he could become when his 86-ball-133 helped India chase down a mammoth 330 in less than 40 overs against Sri Lanka in the triangular series. Since then he hasn't looked back and has grown from strength to strength by proving his prowess all over the world. Having hit centuries on tough away tours Kohli improved his shorter format game several notches especially with the help of the IPL, where in 2016 he smacked a record 973 runs! A established chaser of totals, he has hundreds in all Test playing nations - except Bangladesh and Zimbabwe - where he has played just a single match. He is also a World Cup winner(2011) and was adjuged the Player of the Tournament at the 2014 ICC World T20. Being counted amongst the four great batsmen of the modern age along with Steven Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, Kohli's meteoric rise over the past couple of years has seen him rise above everyone else in the art of batting. He is the only batsman yet to average more than 48 in all formats of the game and after his exploits in England in the summer of 2018, he has proved that he is the best batsman across the globe under any given conditions. For his exploits on the field he has also been awarded the country's highest sports honour - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2018. But with the accolades there also have been questions regarding team selection and his aggressive mindset resulting in failures to win tough series overseas. The fact remains though that just like his runs, there are many more Indian victories to come under his leadership and only time will tell how great a legacy Captain Kohli will leave behind. But regarding his batting skills, it's safe to assume that the debate has been settled for now. There is only one Kohli and he sits right at the top.
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Rohit, who is nursing a hamstring injury, is reportedly out of the series while skipper Kohli will be on paternity leave after the first Day/Night Test in Adelaide.
Clarke feels that despite featuring in only one Test, the talismanic Indian skipper could still play a huge role in the outcome of the red-ball series by dominating the limited over matches.
Gambhir additionally said that the difference between Kohli and Rohit's record in the Indian Premier League needs to be taken into account.
Siraj's father Mohammed Ghouse, 53, died due to a lung ailment in Hyderabad last week and despite BCCI offering him the option to return home, the fast bowler decided to stay put on national duty in Australia.
With regular skipper Virat Kohli opting to play just the first Test of the four matches so as to return to India for the birth of his child, Ajinkya Rahane is most likely to lead the side in the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Indian pacer Navdeep Saini is celebrating his 28th birthday today.
Ajinkya Rahane is likely to lead Indian team in the absence of Kohli, with him being the vice-captain of the side in the longest format of the game.
Virat Kohli is yet to lift a World Cup title as captain of Team India.
Kohli will be playing in the series-opening pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval starting December 17 but will return to India after that for the birth of his first child.
Both the skippers lead from the front with KL Rahul continuing with his fine form to score 83 off 66 runs, while Virat Kohli scored 91 runs off 58 balls.
India without captain Virat Kohli in Tests will be akin to Australia without Steve Smith and David Warner, according to former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson.
The leg-spinner has claimed Kohli's wicket seven times in international cricket.
Kohli will be returning to India after the first Test against Australia -- a day-night fixture currently slated to be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 17.
To be with his wife Anushka Sharma who's due to welcome the couple's first child, Kohli, the current India captain has been granted paternity leave by the BCCI.
Kohli will be only part of the limited-overs fixture and the opening Test in Adelaide before heading back home on paternity leave
Border, who is a "big fan" of Kohli, feels that the Indian team will miss that aggression and passion that he brings on the field.
During the run-chase, Kohli attempted to sledge Suryakumar by staring at him without uttering a word.
Stoinis said they have plans for Kohli, who he dismissed in the ODI series early in 2019 and also during the World Cup.
Having represented India in 86 Tests, 248 ODIs and 82 T20Is, Kohli's numbers in international cricket are staggering, to say the least.
India's tour of Australia begins with three ODIs, followed by as many T20 Internationals and four Tests.
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