9 unbelievable international wickets taken by Virat Kohli as a bowler

Former Indian Test captain Virat Kohli is widely celebrated for his world-class batting and ability to perform under pressure. He is known for guiding India to many memorable wins, and his primary role has always been as a top-order batter. However, on rare occasions, he has also contributed with the ball, picking up nine international wickets across formats. Here, let us take a closer look at each of those dismissals.

9 international wickets taken by Virat Kohli

1. Kevin Pietersen (2011, Only T20I vs England)

In Kohli’s very first international over, Kevin Pietersen charged down the track but missed a wide delivery. MS Dhoni completed a sharp stumping. Though the ball was wide, the dismissal stood, making Pietersen Kohli’s first T20I wicket. Another interesting stat associated with this wicket was when the Delhi-born became the first bowler to take a wicket without delivering a legal ball in international cricket.

2. Alastair Cook (2011, ODI vs England)

Kohli’s next wicket in international cricket came when he bowled the former England captain Alastair Cook. He attempted a leg-side heave, and missed the ball completely, and Kohli knocked over the stumps. This was the then youngster’s first-ever wicket in One-Day Internationals.

3. Craig Kieswetter (2011, ODI vs England)

Kohli delivered a yorker a little outside the off stumps that swung in late. The wicketkeeper-batter Craig Kieswetter attempted to drive it through point but got an inside edge that crashed into the leg stump. With this dismissal, Kohli helped India get their second breakthrough in the form of the English opener.

4. Samit Patel (2011, T20I vs England)

Samit Patel tried to slog Kohli over mid-wicket but mistimed it badly, slicing the ball high toward cover, where Manoj Tiwary safely completed the catch. This was the second international wicket for the right-arm quick bowler while playing in home conditions.

5. Mohammad Hafeez (2012, T20I vs Pakistan)

Mohammed Hafeez attempted to steer a delivery from outside leg to the off-side. The ball took the inside edge, bounced into the ground, and then rolled onto the stumps, dislodging the bails. The then Pakistani skipper’s wicket is Kohli’s only wicket against the Men in Green till date.

6. Quinton de Kock (2013, ODI vs South Africa)

After hitting a six off the previous delivery, Quinton de Kock misjudged a slower ball on the pads and played a loose drive that was chipped back to Kohli, who completed the return catch. The Proteas wicketkeeper-batter completed a century in this game, and Kohli’s breakthrough at the right time provided India a chance to make a comeback into the contest.

7. Brendon McCullum (2014, ODI vs New Zealand)

Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum charged down the pitch and tried to loft Kohli over the infield but did not connect cleanly. The ball went straight to the fielder at cover, ending his stay in the crease. This is Kohli’s only wicket against the BlackCaps in his 17-year-long international career so far.

8. Johnson Charles (2016, T20I vs West Indies)

Kohli bowled a short delivery that skidded onto Johnson Charles, who tried a flat-batted pull. He mistimed the shot and lofted it straight to Rohit Sharma at long-off. The Men in Blue unfortunately lost this semi-final match to the Caribbeans, who eventually also ended up clinching their second T20 World Cup title by defeating England in the grand finale at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

9. Scott Edwards (2023, ODI vs Netherlands, World Cup)

In a surprising bowling appearance, Kohli struck when Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards attempted a glance down the leg side. The ball took a faint touch and was caught cleanly by KL Rahul behind the stumps. This is Kohli’s only wicket in the ODI World Cup history, which he got in front his favourite crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.