On This Day — Virat Kohli Makes His International Debut with 12 Runs for India

His first ODI match did not go as planned, but it was only the start. Seventeen years later, Kohli has become the greatest ODI batsman of his era, holding the record for the most centuries in the format, surpassing his idol Sachin Tendulkar. From a nervous debutant to a record-breaker, his journey remains truly inspiring.

India vs Sri Lanka: 1st ODI on August 18, 2008

On August 18, 2008, the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka was the stage for a moment that would go down in cricket history: the international debut of Virat Kohli. At just 19, this Delhi lad, fresh off leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title earlier that year, stepped into the spotlight during the first ODI of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. The fans were excited as Kohli was no ordinary debutant. His reputation as a fearless, talented youngster preceded him, and Indian cricket fans were buzzing with excitement, eager to see if he could live up to the hype.

India’s Innings

Sri Lanka, playing on their home patch, dominated from start to finish, cruising to an eight-wicket victory with 91 balls to spare. Kohli’s first outing was modest, but even in those fleeting moments at the crease, there was a spark, a hint of the greatness that would define his career. The day was overcast, with clouds hanging low over Dambulla, giving the pitch just enough life to make bowlers grin. India won the toss and chose to bat, hoping to post a competitive total. Instead, their innings crumbled like a dry biscuit, bowled out for a paltry 146 in 46 overs. Kohli, opening the batting, walked on the field.

India’s batting effort started with a nightmare. Gautam Gambhir, one of the team’s most reliable openers, was back in the dugout before the scoreboard had barely ticked over. Chaminda Vaas, Sri Lanka’s wily left-arm seamer, delivered a gem, full, swinging, and deadly, cleaning up Gambhir’s stumps for a duck on the second ball. The early blow set the tone, and into this chaos walked Virat Kohli, a 19-year-old debutant tasked with steadying a sinking ship.

Kohli looked calm, almost unfazed, as he took guard. Facing a swinging ball under cloudy skies, he played with the kind of composure that belied his age. His 12 runs off 22 balls weren’t earth-shattering, but they included a moment of pure class: a cover drive that screamed off his bat, finding the boundary with perfect timing. He was trying to build a partnership with Suresh Raina, focusing on survival against the probing lines of Nuwan Kulasekara and Vaas. But in the eighth over, Kulasekara struck, trapping Kohli lbw with a ball that nipped back sharply and caught him on the pads.

The umpire’s finger went up, and Kohli’s debut knock ended at 12. It wasn’t a big score, but for a teenager facing a quality attack in tough conditions, it was a solid start, a quiet promise of bigger things to come. With Kohli gone, India were 23 for 2, and the wheels were wobbling. Raina, who’d been trying to fight back, fell for 17, caught by Chamara Silva off Kulasekara. At 36 for 3, the innings was in tatters. Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma tried to steady things, with Yuvraj showing some intent by launching a six off Ajantha Mendis, the mystery spinner who was already causing headaches. But Mendis was on a different level that day, dismissing Yuvraj for 23 to break a budding stand. Rohit followed, caught by Mahela Jayawardene for 19, leaving India at 75 for 5.

The middle order had no answers for Mendis’s tricks or the relentless spin of Muthiah Muralidaran. Even MS Dhoni, the captain known for keeping his cool in a crisis, could only muster 6 before Mendis got him. Irfan Pathan’s 7 runs ended in another lbw, and at 87 for 7, India were staring at humiliation. The lower order tried to scrape together some runs, Harbhajan Singh chipped in with 12, Zaheer Khan matched him with 12, but both fell to Muralidaran’s wizardry. Pragyan Ojha, unbeaten on 16, and Munaf Patel, who smashed a quick 15 with a four and a six, added a few late runs, but India’s total of 146 was nowhere near enough.

The innings was a struggle from start to finish, with a run rate of just 3.17 and only 7 extras. The power plays were painfully slow as India limped to 50 in 15.4 overs, and by the drinks break at 31 overs, they were stuck at 92 for 7. Mendis, with 3 for 21, and Muralidaran, with 3 for 37, ran the show, exploiting the conditions and India’s cautious batting to perfection.

Sri Lanka’s Innings

Sri Lanka’s chase of 147 was as smooth as a sunny afternoon drive. They wrapped it up in 34.5 overs, losing just two wickets. Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara opened with confidence, with Jayasuriya’s trademark aggression setting the tone. He raced to 10 before nicking a Munaf Patel delivery to Irfan Pathan in the slips. Sangakkara played a steady 19 but fell to Patel, caught and bowled, leaving Sri Lanka at 45 for 2.

That brought Mahela Jayawardene, the captain, and Chamara Kapugedera to the crease. The two put on a masterclass, stitching together an unbeaten 102-run stand for the third wicket to seal the game. Jayawardene was the star, batting with the kind of elegance that makes you forget the scoreboard, and he finished not out on 61 off 82 balls, stroking seven fours, picking gaps like it was a practice game. Kapugedera played the perfect sidekick, unbeaten on 45 off 72 balls with four boundaries, keeping things steady while Jayawardene dazzled.

The duo made India’s bowlers look ordinary, and Jayawardene reached his fifty off 70 balls, and Sri Lanka crossed 100 in 23.5 overs. The chase was over without a hint of drama, with 12 extras helping things along. Munaf Patel was the best of India’s bowlers, taking 2 for 32, but Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, and debutant Pragyan Ojha couldn’t find a way through.

Virat Kohli’s ODI Career

From 2008 to 2025, he played 302 matches, piling up 14,181 runs, good enough for third on the all-time list. His average of 57.88 is the third highest in ODI history, a number that’s even more impressive when you consider the quality of bowlers he’s faced over 17 years. The man’s a century machine, holding the world record with 51 ODI hundreds. Ten of those came against one opponent, a record that shows how he could dominate a team once he got their number.

He’s also racked up 125 fifty-plus scores, second only to one other batter in history, and when the pressure’s on, Kohli thrives, with 43 Player of the Match awards (third most ever) and 11 Player of the Series awards (second most). Speed is another hallmark of his game. He’s the fastest to every thousand-run milestone from 8,000 to 14,000 runs, hitting 10,000 in just 205 innings and 14,000 in 287, nobody’s done it quicker.

His strike rate of 93.34 over 15,000-plus balls demonstrates that he can strike a balance between caution and carnage. His 183, his highest ODI score, is still regarded as one of the finest knocks in modern cricket, blending control and aggression like a master painter. Kohli’s had years when he’s been unstoppable, like scoring six centuries in a single calendar year, up there with the best.

He once piled up 1,460 runs in a year, landing in the top 15 all-time, and his 765 runs in a single ODI World Cup is the stuff of legend. In the field, he’s a livewire, with 161 catches, second only to one other player. His partnerships, like an unbeaten 233 for the third wicket and a 200-run stand for the fifth, are record-breakers. As captain, he led India in 95 ODIs, bringing an aggressive edge that reshaped the team’s white-ball game.