Watch: Virat Kohli picks his most iconic innings on his 38th birthday

For someone who has played the game for more than 18 years with incredible success around the globe across the formats, it becomes hard to choose a particular knock, and that was the same case with Virat Kohli, who was given the job of choosing his most iconic innings on his 38th birthday. 

Kohli turns 38 on November 05, 2026, as he focuses on the ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand. In the opening game, he slammed a superb fifty and played a key role in India’s victory as they went 1-0 up in the series. The right-handed batter has taken his game to another level in the 50-over format in the last six months. 

Which innings did Virat Kohli pick as his most iconic? Full comments on his 38th birthday

Kohli, on Star Sports, was asked to pick his most iconic innings for India in the ODI format. In the first section of choosing between his 35-run knock against Sri Lanka during the 2011 World Cup final and the unbeaten 133-run knock against the same opposition in Hobart a year later, the right-handed batter decided to pick the 35-run knock.

Watch the video here- 

That knock in the World Cup final was so special that he overtook the 85-run knock against Australia in the 2023 WC, the 122-run knock against England in Pune in 2017, and the 160 against South Africa in 2018 in Cape Town.

See Also: Watch: Virat Kohli’s stunning catch dismisses Nathan Smith for 1 in NZ vs IND 1st ODI

However, the 35-run knock was overshadowed by the 43-run knock against England in 2013. That knock at Edgbaston stayed for the rest and ended up being his most iconic innings. It came when India were under pressure in the Champions Trophy final in the absence of the seniors of the side.

How Virat Kohli performed against New Zealand in the 1st ODI: Key moments of his innings

During the opening ODI of the series at Eden Park in Auckland, Kohli left the field with a fine knock of 74 runs off 51 balls at a strike rate of 145.10 with the help of 13 boundaries and one six. Having come to the crease on the second over of the chase, Kohli continued his aggressive batting from the start.

With this knock, the right-handed Indian batter broke the record for the most runs in run chases in ODIs. He has thumped 8741 runs in 169 innings in this aspect at an average of 66.21 and a firing strike rate of more than 95 with 30 centuries and 46 fifties at the best score of 183 runs.

See Also: On This Day: Virat Kohli was born – Revisiting the journey and legacy of India’s modern-day batting legend

The Delhi-born, who has 15183 runs in ODIs along with 9230 Test runs and 4188 runs in the T20Is, has kept his eyes on the World Cup 2027 trophy and to end the career with the success of winning the title.