How Wankhede stadium shaped Virat Kohli's career

Over the years of his storied cricketing career, star India batter Virat Kohli has been the team's most dependable, all-weather, all-situation player who has dominated the play in different conditions and against different opponents across the world.

While Virat has had some favourites over the years with regards to countries, bowlers, and pitches he likes playing on, like his dominant record on Australia's fast, bouncy pitches, his supremacy against Pakistan, or his battles with the likes of Pat Cummins, James Anderson, and Kagiso Rabada, there is one venue that really stands out when it comes to being the host to Virat's career-defining moments, i.e., the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Virat has an outstanding all-format record at Wankhede, scoring 1,140 runs in 19 innings of 16 matches at an average of 71.25, with three centuries and seven half-centuries, with his best score being 235.
Here are some of Virat's career-defining moments at Wankhede Stadium:

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 win

Virat was just a young upstart when India played in the finals of the 50-over WC at home against Sri Lanka. Chasing a tough 275 runs to win in front of a packed Wankhede crowd who would not settle for anything less than a World Cup trophy for India and its legendary veteran Sachin Tendulkar, Virat's big game potential was put to the test when he walked in at 31/2 after the Master Blaster's dismissal.

While walking back, Sachin said a few words to a young Virat, and for a few seconds, both batters were in the frame, with Sachin going back and an energetic Virat moving forward to the crease, symbolising the passing of the baton. Virat gave a small glimpse of his steely resolve to win big and deliver big during tough situations, scoring a valuable 35 in 49 balls and putting an 83-run stand with Gautam Gambhir, which ultimately paved the way for India's first 50-over World Cup win in 28 years.

Within the starting phase of his career, Virat had earned the gold. He scored 282 runs in the tournament, with a century and a fifty. He made one of the biggest memories of his career by lifting his idol Sachin on his shoulders during the victory lap.

Heartbreak at Wankhede during peak dominance

In 2016, Virat just could not seem to do anything wrong, especially in Indian colours. The ball found the middle of his bat perfectly, sixes, half-centuries, centuries and classy shots came out at will. The batter ruled the sport across all formats. The time came for the ICC T20 World Cup in March, and Virat was keen to stamp his authority in the tournament after winning the Player of the Tournament with 319 runs (the most by any player in a single edition) back in 2014, but finishing as runners-up to Sri Lanka.

Virat single-handedly carried India to the semifinals, scoring 89* in just 47 balls, with 11 fours and a six against the West Indies in the semifinal. However, the West Indies unleashed a counterattack following two early wickets, and a torrent of runs just would not stop. It was Virat who put an end to the innings of a rampaging Johnson Charles. With bowlers wasting their chances and not getting wickets, skipper MS Dhoni took a gamble by giving Virat the final over to eight runs. However, the deficit was chased within just two balls, with Virat left heartbroken, wiping his tears silently.

He ended up as Player of the Tournament with 273 runs in five innings at an average of 136.50, with three fifties, with the next highest scorer for India being Dhoni, with 89 runs in five innings. Despite such a massive one-man-army effort, Virat was left heartbroken.

50th ODI century

After a slump in early 2020s, Virat found form in the 2022 Asia Cup, scoring his 71st century after over three years and did not look back after that. His rampaging form heading into the home 50-over World Cup put India in good stead. In the semifinals, an undefeated India was led by centuries from Virat and Shreyas Iyer.

After years of delivering poor performances in 50-over World Cup knockouts, Virat made up for his past failures with a record-breaking 50th ODI ton, overtaking his idol Sachin's tally of 49 centuries, with the Master Blaster proudly watching it from the stands. India put up 397/4 on the board and Kiwis were bundled out for 327 runs thanks to a seven-wicket haul by pacer Mohammed Shami.

ICC T20 World Cup win felicitation event

Men in Blue ended their trophy drought in West Indies by winning their second ICC T20 World Cup title by defeating South Africa by seven runs in a nerve-wracking thriller. Virat starred with the bat in his final T20I game, scoring 76 in 59 balls and coming in clutch just when it seemed that his batting form had deserted him.

After delivering a clutch performance in the final, Virat came back to Wankhede in the felicitation event as a world champion, as the holder of the T20 WC that he had been denied by luck, tough game situations, and poor team performances in the last few years despite his dominance at the tournament.

The ghosts of the 2016 semifinals against the Windies were exorcised when Virat took a victory lap with the silverware in his hand.