Virat Kohli (Source: @BluntIndianGal/x.com)
Imagining Team India without Virat Kohli feels almost unreal, but over the past few months, his absence from the national setup has been deeply felt. Team India travelled to England for a Test series, but Kohli’s red-ball heroics were a big miss. Even when the team lifted the Asia Cup trophy last month, defeating Pakistan in the final, the entire cricket world missed Kohli’s presence in the Indian dugout as the undisputed energy box was missing from the squad.
Having retired from Test and T20I cricket, Virat Kohli now focuses solely on ODIs, with a thrilling return on the horizon. Donning the iconic blue jersey after months, the former Indian captain is set for a mighty comeback.
While his long-awaited return tested fans’ patience, but is not Kohli’s longest gap between two international games. So, when was his longest absence from the game? Let’s take a closer look at that rare hiatus in his illustrious career.
Kohli endures his longest break from international cricket
Indian cricket welcomed some of the best talents of the cricket world, and Virat Kohli will stand in front of the rally. A young boy from Delhi who started playing cricket watching Sachin Tendulkar could never have imagined that he would be the poster boy of Indian cricket on the global stage.
The story may sound fascinating, but there was a story of undisputed grit, determination, and hunger that made his dream come true. After winning the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 while leading the side, Virat Kohli announced his arrival in international cricket.
Leaving the world in awe, he made his international debut that year. But soon after turning his dream into reality, he faced an unexpected hurdle, an extended spell away from the national setup. From September 2008 to October 2009, the youngster endured a 382-day gap between international appearances, the longest break of his career.
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Kohli struggles to cement his spot amid legends
After the heroics of the Under-19 World Cup in 2008, Kohli made his way to the Indian side, but failed to hold the spot for long. But with legends like Sehwag, Gambhir, and Tendulkar dominating the top order, the young batter found opportunities hard to come by. Surrounded by marquee names, Kohli struggled to cement his spot and spent over a year away from the national team.
While his Test and T20I debuts were a few years after that, Kohli participated in domestic tournaments, IPL, and India A games during the period. And as the saying goes, true class never goes unnoticed. With every outing, he made his presence felt, piling up runs with remarkable consistency and forcing the selectors to take look.
In August 2009, when Gautam Gambhir was ruled out of the tri-series in Sri Lanka, Kohli was named as his replacement. Though he didn’t make the playing XI immediately, but his return to the national setup marked a turning point. In that year, he smashed his maiden ODI century. After that, there was no looking back, as now his number speaks louder than words.
King Kohli back in action on the cards
After lifting the Champions Trophy in March 2025, Virat Kohli appeared in competitive cricket in the IPL 2025, but fans waited to see the batter in the iconic blue jersey. As he has already stepped away from the Test and T20I format, India’s first ODI is set to be played against Australia on October 19, after the Champions Trophy final.
With Team India already en route for the high-stakes series, Virat Kohli is set to don the iconic blue jersey once again. The ultimate legend of the 50-over format, Kohli always saves some of his best innings for Australia. As Kohli is set to appear on Aussie soil, fans are hoping for some mad ‘Kohli Mania’.
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