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Virat Kohli is undoubtedly one of the modern-day batting greats. His average of above 50 in Tests, ODIs and T20Is is an indicator of his awe-inspiring record in all the three formats of the game.
Considering his consistency and impact on a game in any format, Kohli is a prized scalp for any opposition bowler. On that note, let us have a look at five bowlers who have taken the wicket of Virat Kohli on most occasions in international cricket.
5 international bowlers who have taken Virat Kohli's wicket on most occasions:
#T3: Adam Zampa - 7 dismissals
Adam Zampa is probably the bowler who has given Kohli the most trouble in recent times. The Australian leg-spinner has dismissed the Indian captain on seven occasions in international cricket, with an overall average of 30.57 against Kohli.
Zampa, who is yet to make his Test debut, has accounted for Kohli five times in ODI cricket at an average of 34.8. Virat Kohli and Zampa have faced each other in 13 ODIs. Zampa has also twice managed to get the better of the highest run-scorer in T20I cricket, averaging 20 against him.
The leg-spinner dismissed Kohli for the first time in ODIs in the third game they played against each other. Zampa had the Indian captain caught at long-off by Marcus Stoinis in the fifth ODI of the 2017 series in Nagpur.
Zampa then trapped Virat Kohli plumb in front of the wicket in the first ODI of the 2019 series in Hyderabad. In the third game of the same series, the Indian batting mainstay was castled by a Zampa googly in Ranchi. Although Virat Kohli scored a century in the said match, his dismissal turned out to be a turning point as India went on to lose the game.
The leg-spinner continued to be Kohli's nemesis in Australia's next tour to India early this year. Zampa grabbed a return catch in the first ODI in Mumbai to dismiss Virat Kohli for the fourth time in ODIs. The Australian bowler once again scalped Virat Kohli in the very next ODI, as Ashton Agar and Mitchell Starc combined to complete a catch near the boundary.
Zampa's two dismissals of Virat Kohli in T20Is have come in the eight matches they have played against each other. He first accounted for Kohli in the first T20I of the 2018 series in Brisbane as Chris Lynn took a catch of the Indian captain at short third man.
Zampa then got the better of Kohli in the first T20I of the 2019 series in Visakhapatnam, having the batsman caught at long-on by Nathan Coulter-Nile.
#T3: Ravi Rampaul - 7 dismissals
Ravi Rampaul is the most successful West Indies bowler against Virat Kohli. Like Zampa, the Trinidadian has also dismissed the Indian captain on seven occasions in international cricket, but with a much better average of 22.86.
Rampaul has dismissed Virat Kohli six times in ODI cricket, joint-most along with Southee, at an impressive average of 21.17. He has also dismissed Virat Kohli once in the longest format of the game, conceding 32 runs in the bargain. The Indian captain managed a single against Rampaul, without being dismissed, in the only T20I they played against each other.
The West Indian fast bowler has a stupendous record against Virat Kohli in ODIs, with his six dismissals of the Indian captain coming in just 12 ODIs against each other. Rampaul knocked over the stumps of Virat Kohli in the very first ODI they faced off each other. It was a group stage game of the 2011 World Cup in Chennai.
Virat Kohli was dismissed caught-behind in the very next ODI game featuring the duo. It was the first ODI of India's 2011 series in Port of Spain.
The promising Kohli, after scoring what turned out to be a match-winning hundred, was caught-behind of the bowling of Rampaul in the second ODI of West Indies' 2011 tour in Visakhapatnam.
Rampaul then broke the hearts of a million Indians after dismissing Virat Kohli for 99, caught by Jason Holder at fine leg, in an ODI at the same venue two years later. The West Indian again had Virat Kohli caught by the wicketkeeper in the next game of the same tour in Kanpur.
The Delhi batsman was caught at long-off by Marlon Samuels as the two former RCB teammates squared up against each other at Kohli's home-ground in 2014.
Rampaul dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck in the second Test match the duo played against each other. It marked the only time Rampaul has dismissed the RCB captain in 4 Test matches between the pair. In the said Test in 2011 in Bridgetown, Virat Kohli was caught at second slip of a Rampaul bouncer in India's first innings.
Morne Morkel and Nathan Lyon are the two other bowlers to have dismissed Virat Kohli on seven occasions. But the pair did it at higher averages (of 36.86 and 69.14 respectively) compared to Zampa and Rampaul. Hence the duo does not find a mention in our list.
#T2: James Anderson - 8 dismissals
James Anderson has dismissed Virat Kohli on eight occasions in international cricket, with an overall average of 31.38 against the Indian captain.
The right-arm fast bowler has faced Kohli in 17 Test matches, dismissing the Indian captain on five occasions. Anderson had Kohli caught at slip by Graeme Swann in the third Test of England's 2012 tour of India in Kolkata.
Anderson's four other dismissals of Virat Kohli in Test matches happened during India's tour of England in 2014. The England swing bowler was the primary tormentor of Virat Kohli in that series.
The 37-year-old first had Virat Kohli caught behind in the first innings of the second Test at Lord's. Anderson again got Kolhi's edge, this time caught by Alastair Cook at first slip, in the first innings of the next test played in Southampton.
Anderson was on a roll against Virat Kohli by then and dismissed the right-hand batsman in both innings of the next Test match in Manchester. He had Kohli nicking and caught in the slips on both occasions, by Cook at first slip in the first innings, and then by Ian Bell at second slip in the second innings.
Although Anderson and Kohli faced each other in nine subsequent Test matches, the Englishman has not able to dismiss the Indian captain even once.
Anderson has dismissed Virat Kohli three times in 12 ODIs they have played against each other, conceding only 26 runs in the bargain. He first had Kohli caught behind in the 3rd ODI of India's tour of England at the Oval in 2011.
The English bowler subsequently dismissed Virat Kohli in the final of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, caught by Ravi Bopara at long-off. Virat Kohli's final dismissal in ODIs against Anderson was during India's forgettable tour of England in 2014. Kohli was caught at first slip by Alastair Cook in the fifth ODI in Leeds.
#T2: Graeme Swann - 8 dismissals
Graeme Swann is the most successful spin bowler against Virat Kohli. The England off-spinner has dismissed Kohli on eight occasions in international cricket, just like James Anderson, but with a superior overall average of 16.25.
Swann has dismissed Kohli thrice in Test cricket, at an average of just 20.67. He has been even more successful in the shorter formats of the game, snaring Virat Kohli four times in ODIs and once in T20Is.
The off-spinner has accounted for Virat Kohli three times in four Test matches the pair has played against each other. He castled Kohli in the first innings of their very first meeting, the first Test of England's 2012 tour in Ahmedabad.
Swann then had Virat Kohli caught at mid-off by Joe Root, off a full toss, in the second innings of the next Test played in Mumbai. The off-spinner then caught Virat Kohli plumb in front of the wicket in the first innings of the final Test of the series in Nagpur.
The off-spinner has dismissed the Indian captain four times in 12 ODIs. The first such occasion was in Southampton in 2011 when Swann had Virat Kohli caught by Ian Bell at long on. In the fourth ODI of the series at Lord's, Kohli was caught behind off the bowling of Swann.
In the very next game of the same series in Cardiff, Virat Kohli was unfortunate to be dismissed hit-wicket against Swann. The right-hander's final dismissal against Swann in ODIs came in the third game of the 2011 series in Mohali. Virat Kohli was leg-before to a sharp turning delivery from Swann.
Swann also dismissed Kohli in the last of the three T20Is the pair played against each other. The India No. 3 batsman was caught by Jonny Bairstow at deep mid-wicket while going for a big hit.
#1: Tim Southee - 10 dismissals
Tim Southee stands at the top of the list of international bowlers who have dismissed Kohli the most times in international cricket. The New Zealand swing bowler has dismissed the Indian captain on 10 occasions, doing so at an average of 33.6.
Southee has dismissed Kohli thrice in the longest format of the game, snaring the latter's wicket at an average of 36.33. He has been even more successful with the white ball in hand. Southee has accounted for Kohli in six ODIs at an average of 34.17 and has also dismissed the Indian batsman once in T20Is.
The New Zealand fast bowler has bagged the wicket of Kohli on three occasions in five Test matches where the pair has faced off. Southee trapped the Indian middle-order batsman plumb in front of the wicket in their first meeting, albeit after Kohli had scored a century. This instance was in the second Test of New Zealand's 2012 tour of India in Bangalore.
Virat Kohli then succumbed trying to fend Southee's bouncer in the first Test of India's 2014 tour of New Zealand in Auckland. Southee's final Test success against Virat Kohli came in the first innings of the last Test match of India's 2019-20 tour of New Zealand. Kohli was trapped plumb in front of the wicket.
In ODI cricket, Southee has dismissed Kohli on a joint-highest six occasions in twenty games. Here again the Kiwi swing bowler dismissed Kohli in the pair's very first meeting in the format.
Southee had Virat Kohli caught behind in the sixth game of a triangular series in Dambulla in 2010. The right-arm fast bowler next got the better of the Indian batting mainstay in the second ODI of India's 2014 tour of New Zealand in Hamilton. Southee had Virat Kohli caught at long-on by Anton Devcich.
The Kiwi bowler's next dismissal of the RCB captain came in the 4th ODI of the same series, in Hamilton. This time Southee got Virat Kohli to top-edge a pull shot to James Neesham at mid-wicket.
Southee dismissed Virat Kohli for the fourth time in an ODI in the first match of New Zealand's 2017 tour of India in Mumbai. The Indian captain was caught by Trent Boult at long-on after scoring a century.
Virat Kohli scored another century in the fifth game of the same series in Kanpur before holing out to Kane Williamson at long-off of Southee's bowling.
Southee rattled the Indian captain's timber in the second ODI of India's recent tour of New Zealand in Auckland, in the process dismissing Virat Kohli for the sixth and latest time in ODIs.
In six T20I games, Southee has dismissed Virat Kohli only once, conceding 22 runs in the process. This instance happened in the second T20I of India's 2019-20 of New Zealand, in Auckland, where Kohli was caught behind down the leg side off a faint tickle.
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