.jpg?type=hq)
Virat Kohli for India - (Source: AFP)
On Wednesday, November 5, Virat Kohli is celebrating his 37th birthday. The right-handed batter continues to inspire an entire generation and is trending all over the internet, as the fans have flooded social media with plenty of messages for their idol.
Virat, who made his India debut in 2008, has featured in 553 matches and scored 27,673 runs, averaging 52. Kohli enjoys an illustrious career and has a lot of silverware. Meanwhile, the fans are curious whether Virat has ever batted on his birthday.
Has Virat Kohli played on his birthday? How has the India star performed
Notably, Virat has featured in 553 matches for India in 17 years, but it has been just three times that Virat has played on his birthday. Interestingly, Virat Kohli has played a Test match, an ODI game, and also a T20I match on his birthday in his career.
| Date | Format | Runs | Opposition |
| 05/11/2015 | Test | 1 (4) | South Africa |
| 05/11/2021 | T20I | 2* | Scotland |
| 05/11/2023 | ODI | 101* (121) | South Africa |
Let's dive deep into Virat Kohli's performances on his birthday
1. Test vs South Africa
The first time Virat Kohli ever played on his birthday was when he turned 27 and India featured in home Test vs South Africa at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali.
It was not a great outing for Virat Kohli as he registered just a solitary run and fell prey to Kagiso Rabada.
2. T20I vs Scotland
The 2nd time Virat batted on his 33rd birthday. It was during 2021 T20I World Cup and India were already knocked out of the event when they locked horns against Scotland. It was a one-sided event for India as the Men in Blue, bowling first, restricted the European side to just 85 runs.
In reply, the openers did most of the job, but Virat's help was requred to score the winning runs and the right-handed batter could only amass unbeaten 2 runs.
3. ODI World Cup game vs South Africa
The third and latest outing for Virat on his special day was during 2023 ODI World Cup when India faced South Africa at Eden Gardens on Kohli's 35th birthday. It was a crucial game for India and the chase-master delivered when it mattered and scored an unbeaten century.
Virat batted beautifully and scored 101 (121), which featured ten boundaries. It was a special knock for Kohli as he equalled Sachin Tendulkar's record for most ODI centuries.
