In cricket, few names shout so loudly as that of Virat Kohli. With highly admired batting styles and the leadership qualities he possesses, Kohli has built a career that definitely places him in the hall of the greatest cricketers of all time. But is it relevant to consider Virat Kohli as the King of Cricket? If not, then who shall hold the title of King in this sport? Let's find this out in this blog. Virat Kohli's Childhood and Rise to Limelight Virat Kohli's journey to stardom in cricket began very early. Born on November 5, 1988, in Delhi, India, Kohli had quite enhanced aptitude for the game in the beginning. He turned flair into mature performance through strenuous practice and dedication. Career Highlights Image Source: North Eastern Chronicle This has been the case in the case of Virat Kohli, whose career statistics stand as a testament to this dominance. In all formats combined, Kohli has covered 26,884 runs with a record 80 centuries. An aggressive and inventive batsman, his square and cover drives have been iconic in terms of pure technical perfection. He always stood up whenever his team required him the most. The modern day great and the chase master have the ability to pull the victory from the jaws off defeat. Even in the final of T20 World Cup 2024 when India lost 3 early wickets, Virat Kohli, who was out of runs throughout the season stayed at the crease and guided India to winning total of 176. He received POTM award for his 76 runs in the final where he announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game. Also Read | The Epic India vs Pakistan Cricket Rivalry: A Comprehensive Head-to-Head Analysis Records and Achievements of Virat Kohli Image Source: Times of Sports Kohli's career is studded with numerous records and accolades. Following are some of the records of Virat Kohli; - Fastest to reach 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000 and 13000 runs in ODIs - He has also kept an average of over 50 at the same time in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. - Most runs in a single edition of ICC Cricket World Cup: 765 in 2023 - Most centuries against a team: 10 (Sri Lanka) - Most fifties in T20I: 39 - Fastest to 3500 T20I runs: 96 innings - Most player of the match awards in T20Is: 16 - Most player of the series awrards in T20Is: 7 - Most player of the series awards (all format): 21 Captaincy Era (2014-2022) Image Source: News9 Live Virat Kohli led the Indian cricket team to glory from 2014-2022. Under his leadership, India registered some marquee win, including the historic test series win in Australia in 2018-19. Kohli's style of leadership was aggressive and passionate, which rubbed off on his teammates with a zeal to excel. India, under the leadership of Virat Kohli won 18 out of 24 Test series. In ODI's Virat holds the highest batting average of 72 as a captain. He took India into the semi-finals of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Also Read | What is Slow Over Rate in Cricket? Rules and Penalty Explained Legacy and Impact The legacy that Virat Kohli leaves behind in cricket goes beyond the realms of mere numbers. He changed the game with an inborn aggression yet to be methodical in his style of batting. But, most important, he focused on the fitness and mental strength part towards the game. Kohli's influence is transnational, and budding cricketers around the globe strive to follow his pure dedication and skill. Virat Kohli is now considered the current King of Cricket by the world. But fans from Pakistan started calling Babar Azam the King of Cricket. Let's compare the stats of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam Though Virat Kohli literally and truly is regarded as a king by fans in cricket, the Pakistani fans have titled the same to Babar Azam and always compare him with Virat Kohli. Now, let's go for a contrast of the stats Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have made to see how they stand against each other. Image Source: News9 Live Virat Kohli Player Names Babar Azam 533 No. of Intl. Matches 293 13906 ODI Runs 5729 4188 T20I Runs 4145 8848 Test Runs 3920 80 Centuries 31 140 Half-centuries 94 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 ICC Champions Trophy 2013 ICC T20 World Cup 2024 No. of Trophies None Conclusion In a nutshell, Virat Kohli's reign as the "King of Cricket" is not defined by the amazing numbers that were put up or even the number of times his team came out on top; rather, it is the mark indelible that he has left upon the game. His legacy is forever etched in the annals of cricket as one of its greatest players, and his journey inspires generations of cricket lovers worldwide. Also Read | Rohit Sharma’s T20I Journey: Stats, Records, and Highlights