Virat Kohli

Leading India to victory in the under 19 World Cup in Malaysia definitely means a bright future. However, Delhi's Virat Kohli did not have to wait too long in search of green pastures as the sacrifices he had made early on in his career were destined to take him to greater heights. Kohli has already established a reputation of being a mature batsman with a shrewd brain. Scoring 235 runs in the U-19 World Cup at a healthy average of 47, he led India to an unbeaten finish. Kohli had provided a telling example of his dogged determination even as a teenager.

Back in December 2006, then merely 17, he had taken guard to play a courageous 90 within hours of his father's death to save Delhi from a certain follow-on in a Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka. He put his personal tragedy out and with teammate Puneet Bisht added 162 runs for the sixth wicket and saved Delhi from a point of no return.

Kohli was instrumental in India's win in the 2009 Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. In the final against South Africa, he scored a century. India went on to win the game by 17 runs and Kohli emerged as the leading run scorer of the tournament, aggregating 398 runs including two centuries and two fifties.

It was however, his ton in the same tournament in 2008 that earned him his maiden ODI call up in an away series in Sri Lanka. The right-hand batsman scored a useful 37 in his second game and scored his first fifty in his fourth match as India won the series. He was later named as a replacement to Gambhir for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, involving New Zealand as well and was also named as Yuvraj Singh's replacement in the ICC Champions Trophy after the latter fractured his finger.

Leading India to victory in the under 19 World Cup in Malaysia definitely means a bright future. However, Delhi's Virat Kohli did not have to wait too long in search of green pastures as the sacrifices he had made early on in his career were destined to take him to greater heights. Kohli has already established a reputation of being a mature batsman with a shrewd brain. Scoring 235 runs in the U-19 World Cup at a healthy average of 47, he led India to an unbeaten finish. Kohli had provided a telling example of his dogged determination even as a teenager.

Back in December 2006, then merely 17, he had taken guard to play a courageous 90 within hours of his father's death to save Delhi from a certain follow-on in a Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka. He put his personal tragedy out and with teammate Puneet Bisht added 162 runs for the sixth wicket and saved Delhi from a point of no return.

Kohli was instrumental in India's win in the 2009 Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. In the final against South Africa, he scored a century. India went on to win the game by 17 runs and Kohli emerged as the leading run scorer of the tournament, aggregating 398 runs including two centuries and two fifties.

It was however, his ton in the same tournament in 2008 that earned him his maiden ODI call up in an away series in Sri Lanka. The right-hand batsman scored a useful 37 in his second game and scored his first fifty in his fourth match as India won the series. He was later named as a replacement to Gambhir for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, involving New Zealand as well and was also named as Yuvraj Singh's replacement in the ICC Champions Trophy after the latter fractured his finger.

Leading India to victory in the under 19 World Cup in Malaysia definitely means a bright future. However, Delhi's Virat Kohli did not have to wait too long in search of green pastures as the sacrifices he had made early on in his career were destined to take him to greater heights. Kohli has already established a reputation of being a mature batsman with a shrewd brain. Scoring 235 runs in the U-19 World Cup at a healthy average of 47, he led India to an unbeaten finish. Kohli had provided a telling example of his dogged determination even as a teenager.

Back in December 2006, then merely 17, he had taken guard to play a courageous 90 within hours of his father's death to save Delhi from a certain follow-on in a Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka. He put his personal tragedy out and with teammate Puneet Bisht added 162 runs for the sixth wicket and saved Delhi from a point of no return.

Kohli was instrumental in India's win in the 2009 Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. In the final against South Africa, he scored a century. India went on to win the game by 17 runs and Kohli emerged as the leading run scorer of the tournament, aggregating 398 runs including two centuries and two fifties.

It was however, his ton in the same tournament in 2008 that earned him his maiden ODI call up in an away series in Sri Lanka. The right-hand batsman scored a useful 37 in his second game and scored his first fifty in his fourth match as India won the series. He was later named as a replacement to Gambhir for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, involving New Zealand as well and was also named as Yuvraj Singh's replacement in the ICC Champions Trophy after the latter fractured his finger.