Virat Kohli (বিরাট কোহলি) is an Indian international cricketer who plays ODI cricket for the national team and is a former captain in all formats. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler. Considered one of the greatest all-format batsmen in the history of cricket, he is called the King, the Chase Master, and the Run Machine for his skills, records and ability to lead his team to victory. Kohli is the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League, third in T20I, third in ODI, and third in international cricket. He has the most ODI centuries and second-most centuries in international cricket. Kohli is also the most successful Test captain of India with back-to-back Test mace wins and most victories in his tenure. He is the only batter to earn 900 rating points in all three formats.

Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi into a Punjabi Hindu family. His mother Saroj Kohli is as a housewife while his father Prem Nath Kohli worked as a criminal lawyer. He has an elder brother Vikas and an elder sister Bhawna. His formative years were spent in Uttam Nagar. His early education was at Vishal Bharti Public School. As per his family, Kohli exhibited an early affinity for cricket as a 3-year-old. He would pick up a bat and request his father bowl to him.

In 1998, the West Delhi Cricket Academy was created. In May, his father arranged for him to meet Rajkumar Sharma. Upon the suggestion of their neighbours, Kohli's father considered enrolling his son in a professional cricket academy, as they believed his ability merited more than gully cricket. He was unable to secure a place in the U-14 Delhi team, due to extraneous factors. His father reportedly received offers to relocate his son to influential clubs, which would ensure his selection, but he declined the proposals.

Kohli's batting style and approach to the game have frequently drawn comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar, whom he regards as the epitome of excellence in the sport of cricket. Called Tendulkar's successor, he is widely considered to have the potential to surpass his records. Kohli has stated he tried to mirror Tendulkar's style of batting, imitating his shots and attempting to hit sixes in a similar manner.

His aggressive and dynamic style has earned him accolades from cricketing greats such as Vivian Richards, who has acknowledged Kohli's similarities to his own style. He has been lauded as the "new king of world cricket" by Dean Jones, a former Australian cricketer. Kohli's skills with the bat have earned him accolades from former West Indies great Brian Lara, who has ranked him among the best batsmen in the world.

Kohli possesses technical abilities and a dynamic playing demeanour. His customarily batting position in ODl cricket is at number three with a slightly open-chested stance and a grip on the bottom handle of his bat. He has been noted for his agile footwork, expansive range of strokes, and his propensity for adeptly orchestrating innings whilst thriving in high-pressure situations. In his batting technique, Kohli tends to favour playing grounded shots rather than attempting big hits. He is appreciated for his ability to execute wrist shots and his consistent prowess in the mid-wicket and cover region.

Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma met on the sets of an advertisement they were both signed to star in. They started dating in 2013 and their popularity led to the masses giving them the moniker Virushka. During an interview with Graham Bensinger, he recalled how they met during the promotional shoot for Clear shampoo. Their union attracted significant media and public interest. On 11 December 2017, the couple got married in a ceremony held in Florence, Italy.

In 2018, Kohli disclosed that he had made the decision to adopt a vegetarian diet in an effort to alleviate the symptoms of a cervical spine issue caused by elevated levels of uric acid. This condition was impacting his finger movements, thus, affecting his performance as a batsman. He made a conscious effort to abstain from consuming meat, as part of his regimen for maintaining optimal health. He has since clarified that his dietary choices do not align with a vegan lifestyle and he continues to consume dairy products and eggs effectively making what is known in India as an eggetarian. His hard work and discipline have earned him the reputation of being one of the fittest sportspersons in the world.