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Virat Kohli's India Debut Became A Nightmare As Kulasekara Outfoxed Him OTD In 2008

Kohli made his international debut OTD in 2008 [X]Kohli made his international debut OTD in 2008 [X]

India's legendary batter Virat Kohli made his international debut in a One-Day International match against Sri Lanka on this day sixteen years ago. It was the first ODI of the series, with India fielding a relatively young team with Rohit Sharma and debutant Kohli. 

However, it was a forgettable match for Virat Kohli, as he was cheaply dismissed for 12 runs by a vicious nip-backer from Nuwan Kulasekara. 

Virat Kohli's performance on International debut 16 years ago

The match was held at the iconic Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. After winning the toss, Indian captain MS Dhoni opted to bat first. However, the Sri Lankan pacers capitalised on the moisture, reducing the visitors to 36/3 inside 12 overs. 

After Gautam Gambhir departed for a silver duck, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina neutralised the Lankan seamers with their stoic technique. 

Despite struggling to score quick runs, Kohli showed remarkable resilience to keep the hosts at bay with his grit and determination. 

However, he was finally deceived by a deadly nip-backer from Nuwan Kulasekara, who brought the ball back into him to trap him plumb in front of the stumps. 

As soon as the Sri Lankan players appealed, the umpire raised his finger, declaring Kohli out. Thus, the Delhi-born cricketer could score only 12 runs in his debut match. 

However, it took Kohli a little time to turn things around. In his subsequent four outings, he contributed crucial runs, including a fighting fifty. He never looked back after that, establishing himself as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.