Virat Kohli responds to becoming the most searched athlete on Google India in 2015

Virat Kohli has been the most searched sportsperson on Google India in 2015

Google released a list mentioning the top ten most searched sports personalities on its search engine in 2015, and the Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli, topped the list beating the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar.

Virat reacted to this news via a tweet, wherein he thanked his followers for their adulation and support, as topping such a list would require a significant amount of popularity, to go alongside the achievements in the sport concerned.

As far as his performances on the field are concerned, Virat has had a mixed bag in 2015. He began the year on a high with a century against Australia in the 4th Test of the Border-Gavaskar Series 2014-15, which was also his first Test as a full-time India captain after MS Dhoni retired from the longest format in December 2014.

Kohli had hit three more centuries in that series prior to this one and captained India for the first time in Tests in Adelaide when he stood in for Dhoni, a match that Australia won from the jaws of defeat. Kohli had hit twin hundreds in that game, and the match was remembered for his attacking brand of captaincy.

He carried the good run into the World Cup that followed, as he lit up India’s opening encounter with arch-rivals Pakistan, with another hundred.

That match was the end, though, of Kohli’s golden run for the next three months as he had an ordinary World Cup followed by a subdued IPL and a less than impressive series against Bangladesh.

But Kohli was back in business in his first full series as the Indian Test captain against Sri Lanka, where he conjured up a hundred in the second Test at Colombo, in what was his first series win as the Indian captain.

Back at home, the Delhi batsman showed his class once again with an attacking 138 against South Africa at Chennai, a knock that helped India level the series before they eventually lost it in the final match at Mumbai.

His form as captain continued in the Freedom Trophy against the Proteas, as India beat the No. 1 ranked Test side 3-0, with Kohli starring with the bat in final Test in Delhi, with a knock of 88, which was also India’s last competitive fixture for the year.

His appearances off the field also have been as attractive, whether it was the acknowledgement of his relationship with the actor Anushka Sharma, speaking out his mind after the Sydney fiasco – where Anushka was blamed for Kohli’s poor performance in the World Cup semi-final against Australia, owning teams in the Indian Super League (ISL), the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), and the Pro Wrestling League, or voicing his opinions once again when the media concentrated on the pitch rather than the performance of the team.

He has also been proactive on social media from time to time, a recent example of which was the Q&A session conducted by him while campaigning for his IPTL team, the UAE Royals.

Having said that, the flurry of events that Kohli has been involved in throughout the year, speaks volumes about is persona on and off the field, as well as his popularity online.

Can't believe I am the most searched! I must be good at hiding; just kidding.Thank you for your love. Feel blessed pic.twitter.com/MBgEPAkYpD

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) December 17, 2015