The year 2023 saw Virat Kohli returning to his usual best as the star batter had a phenomenal year in both formats. The year was completely contrasting for the run machine as compared to 2022 where he was seen struggling for form. In the 35 matches played in 2023, Kohli scored 2048 runs from 35 matches at an average of 66. The numbers are staggering when compared to his 2022 form where he scored 1348 runs from 37 matches.
Kohli began the year on a high having already ended his over three-year-long century drought in ODIs in December 2022. The former India captain began the year with a magnificent 113 (87) during the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati which also fetched him a Player of the Match award.
He further scored another sensational ton (166* off 110) in the third ODI of the series and won the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series award for scoring 283 runs across three matches.
Having regained his ODI form back, the batting maestro further ended his 39-month-long century drought in Tests as well with a magnificent 186 against Australia during the fourth Test of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The 35-year-old further scored another hundred (121) in the second Test against West Indies in July after scoring 76 in the first one.
However, the undisputed King of modern-day cricket saved his best for the biggest tournament of the year the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. But before that, Kohli warmed up for the tournament by notching up another century (122* off 94) against favorite opposition Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023.
And then came the most golden period for Kohli in 2023 as he sent record books for a toss in the ODI World Cup 2023. During the tournament, he surpassed his idol Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most ODI hundreds (49) registering his 50th ODI ton against New Zealand in the first semi-final of the tournament at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The Delhi-born batter also broke another record of Tendulkar of most runs scored in a single edition of the ODI World Cup finishing with 765 runs from 11 innings at an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31 with three hundreds and six fifties to his name.
For his marvelous run in the tournament, Kohli was also adjudged ‘Player of the Tournament’. Following his World Cup heroics, the star batter ended the year with another fine knock of 76 (82) in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion.
He finished the year with over 2000 runs for the seventh time in his career becoming the first batter to achieve the feat. In the 8 Test matches played in 2023, Kohli amassed 671 runs at an average of 55.91 with two hundred and two fifties to his name.
On the other hand, in the 24 ODI innings played in 2023, the chase master scored 1377 runs at an average of 72.47 and a strike rate of 99.13 with six hundred and eight fifties.