Virat Kohli, the unmistakable face of Indian cricket, turns 36 today. As the flagbearer of the Indian cricket team, Kohli has experienced one of the most rewarding years of his career, highlighted by India's World Cup triumph in June. Although 2024 may not have been his best year in terms of form, Kohli remains deeply cherished by millions of devoted fans. Much like legends MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli has become an icon, with some even believing that his popularity has surpassed that of his former peers. Now, as he steps into the later years of his 30s, Kohli would be itching to recapture the brilliance that earned him the title of "King" all those years ago.

Despite reports of Kohli settling in London, he has chosen to remain in India to celebrate his birthday. His wife, Bollywood star Anushka Sharma, returned to India in September, and Kohli followed suit, gearing up for five Test matches at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Although the series concluded on a sour note, with New Zealand sweeping India 3-0, there's no better way for Kohli to move past the setback than by celebrating his special day surrounded by his loved ones.

Truth be told, 2024 has been a relatively quiet year for Kohli. Apart from his stellar performance in the IPL, where he topped the charts and claimed the Orange Cap, Kohli has featured in just 18 international matches: six Tests, three ODIs, and nine T20Is, accumulating a modest 488 runs. However, the upcoming three high-profile Test matches against Australia in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne are of utmost importance. A strong performance in these matches could not only ease India's path to the World Test Championship final and help heal the wounds inflicted by New Zealand but also mark a turning point in Kohli's recent and prolonged wretched run of form.

As fate would have it, 13 years after his Test debut, Kohli finds himself in a position reminiscent of 2012. Following a disappointing Test season in 2011, Kohli faced a critical juncture in his career. At 24, he still had future opportunities ahead, but time was running out. After a string of poor performances in the West Indies and the first three Tests in Australia, calls for his removal from the team were growing louder. However, then-captain Dhoni recognised the need for a transition. With legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman approaching the end of their careers, Kohli was seen as the one to carry the mantle forward. Dhoni trusted in his potential and allowed the young batter to complete the series.

How a 24-year-old Virat Kohli turned things around

And what a move it turned out to be. At the iconic WACA in Perth, Kohli delivered a stellar performance in the third Test, scoring a confident 44 in the first innings and an even more impressive 75 in the second, while the team's seasoned players struggled. Though the series was already lost, and it seemed India had little left to gain, Kohli carried the confidence from his innings in Perth into the next match in Adelaide. There, he scored his maiden Test century, beginning a remarkable connection with the Adelaide Oval, where he has since amassed 509 runs in four Tests.

More than a decade later, Indian cricket finds itself in a similarly precarious situation. Kohli, now one of the senior players on the team, faces mounting pressure to justify his place, as Sanjay Manjrekar once remarked years ago. Kohli has managed only two Test fifties this year, the most recent of which came in January 2024. Meanwhile, younger players are breaking down the door, putting pressure on the senior members. Although Kohli's remarkable fitness at 36 may grant him a longer rope than captain Rohit Sharma, consistent form remains a critical priority.

How Virat Kohli can succeed in Australia

Three key factors are likely to fuel Kohli's motivation in Australia. First, his impressive Test record against the Aussies: 2042 runs in 25 matches at an average of 47.49, including eight centuries – five of which he scored on Australian soil. Second, having missed most of the previous tour, Kohli knows this might be his final trip to Australia with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the line. Lastly, the pitches in Australia are vastly different from the spin-friendly surfaces he has encountered in India. With no rank-turners or balls spinning from Day 1, Kohli will have the freedom to play his shots, benefiting from the ball coming nicely onto the bat.

As the sands of time slip through the hourglass, Kohli – despite all he has achieved on his way to becoming a titan of Indian cricket – must summon every ounce of energy, passion, motivation, and, most importantly, his trademark aggression to prove he still has what it takes. He once was a relentless run-machine, a force that peeled off centuries for fun. If Kohli can rediscover that form in Australia, rest assured, India will have a strong chance of securing a historic hat-trick of series wins.

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