Virat Kohli Turns 37: From Fiery Youngster to Calm Master, the Evolution of a Legend: Virat Kohli turned 37 on November 5, 2025, marking yet another milestone in a career that has redefined modern cricket. The Indian superstar, who has already retired from T20Is and Tests, continues to shine in ODIs even as he approaches the twilight of his playing days.
In the recent India vs Australia ODI series, Virat Kohli faced a rare dip in form, getting out for zero twice before bouncing back with a classy unbeaten 74 in the final match. Despite his age, many former cricketers believe that if Virat Kohli remains fit, he should definitely be part of India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which would be his fifth appearance in the marquee event since debuting in the 2011 edition.
Mohammad Kaif on How Kohli Has Changed Over the Years
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who has shared the dressing room with Virat Kohli during the IPL, offered an interesting insight into how the batting maestro has evolved both on and off the field.
“Virat Kohli has become a bit calmer now. He is a father. There is a lot of difference between how he was before marriage and how he is after marriage. When I see him playing now, I had met him during an IPL game against Punjab Kings, he hit Kagiso Rabada for a boundary coming down the ground. Maybe he had scored a half-century and won the game. It was a seaming track. We had a nice chat. He was very calm. He told me that if I had not attacked Rabada early on, he would not have let me play. So I wanted to hit him off the first ball. Abhishek is doing the same thing. When it comes to his understanding of cricket, there is improvement with calmness,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif also praised Virat Kohli’s humility and hunger to keep getting better.
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“He still wants to improve his game after having played for so many years. And he still meets me the same way even now. If he called you a brother before, he will call you a brother now as well. When you meet him off the field, he will remember that he has played with you and will give you that respect. There is no change there.”
Steve Waugh Calls Virat Kohli the Greatest ODI Player Ever
Meanwhile, former Australian captain Steve Waugh had glowing words for Kohli, describing him as the “greatest” ODI player of all time and a true “once-in-a-generation” cricketer.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are two all-time great players. Virat Kohli is probably the greatest one-day player of all time. You want to see them play everywhere. People on the Gold Coast would love to see them play, but they can’t play every match,” Waugh said.
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A Glorious Career That Redefined ODI Cricket
Since making his debut in 2008 as a promising youngster from West Delhi, Kohli has become one of the most complete and admired batters in cricket history. With a World Cup and two ICC Champions Trophy titles to his name, he has set the gold standard for consistency in ODIs.
Kohli is currently the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history, amassing 14,255 runs in 305 matches. He holds the record for the most centuries in the format with 51, surpassing even his idol Sachin Tendulkar. His ability to chase down targets with ease earned him the nickname “Chase Master,” and he remains the fastest to reach every milestone from 8,000 to 14,000 ODI runs.
At 37, Virat Kohli continues to inspire a generation of cricketers with his discipline, passion, and drive for excellence, proving that greatness, when paired with humility, only gets better with time.
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