Milestones

• In July- August 2009, Kohli was selected for Emerging Players Tournament that was being played in Australia amongst four teams. He was the leading scorer in that tournament with 398 runs and a batting average of 66.33. His century in the final match against South Africa Emerging players helped India win that match and clinch the title.  Kohli himself said that this tournament was the ‘Turning point’ in his career.

• In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, he played as a substitute for the injured Yuvraj Singh. He also played on as a substitute as and when required in the ODI series at Home against Australia. He found huge success in the tri-nation series in Bangladesh in 2010 against Sri Lanka as well as the hosts. He scored his second ODI century making him the third Indian Batsman to score 2 ODI Centuries before their 22nd birthday. He again finished as the tournament’s highest run scorer with an average of 91.66.

• In the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in May-June 2010, Suresh Rainawas made the Captain of the Indian team, and the 21-year-old Kohli was made the vice-captain as many first team cricketers skipped the tour. Even though India crashed out of the series, Kohli managed to get enough runs to reach 1000 in ODIs, making him the fastest Indian batsman to reach that milestone.
• In the 2010 Asia Cup, Kohli wasn’t quite up to form but he was somehow retained in the ODI team for the next few matches of the Indian Cricket team.