Virat Kohli Birthday: Top 5 partnerships Kohli has been a part of

Virat Kohli celebrates his 29th birthday on November 5 and millions of fans across the world are gearing up to celebrate it in grand fashion. He has been a true global superstar and a great ambassador for the game of cricket.

Kohli has always been a team man and individual records do not play on his mind often. He has forged crucial partnerships across all formats, helping the Indian team cross the finish line on a number of occasions. His stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore has also produced some breathtaking knocks, powering the team's total immensely.

Let us take a look at some of the best partnerships that Kohli has been a part of in his international career.

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#5 Gautam Gambhir (224 runs against Sri Lanka)

Kohli scored his maiden century in ODIs

India played Sri Lanka in a 5-match ODI series in 2009, after successfully becoming the no.1 Test team. India had took a 2-1 lead in the series, with the fourth match to be played at Kolkata. Sri Lanka posted a competitive 315 on the board, thanks to a magnificent century from Upul Tharanga. However, Kohli joined hands with Gambhir after the early loss of Sehwag.

The Delhi duo showed no mercy on the bowlers, blasting them to all corners of the ground. In the process, Kohli brought up his maiden ODI century and Gambhir stroked a magnificent 150. They put on a 224-run stand for the second wicket, and fittingly, Gambhir dedicated his Man of the Match award to Kohli, which was a nice gesture from the opener.

#4 AB de Villiers (229 runs against Gujarat Lions)

Kohli and de Villiers put Gujarat to the sword

Kohli and AB de Villiers form the most destructive pair in the world right now, as they complement each other so vividly. They were at the forefront of another massacre in IPL earlier this year, as they recorded the highest partnership ever in T20 cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

They scored 229 runs together, breaking their own record of 215 set the previous year. Kohli was in tremendous form in the last season, scoring an incredible four centuries and winning the Orange Cap in the process. Gujarat Lions were at the receiving end and went on to lose the match by a huge margin of 144 runs. Kohli scored 109 off 55 balls, whereas ABD remained unbeaten on 129 off just 52 balls.

#3 Rohit Sharma (230 runs against New Zealand)

Kohli and Rohit enjoy batting together

Virat Kohli loves playing alongside Rohit Sharma, as the two enjoy each other's company and make batting look so easy. In the recently-concluded ODI series against New Zealand, they were once again in their element, pummelling the Kiwi bowlers into submission with their trademark flair in the 3rd ODI played at Kanpur.

They compiled 230 runs together for the 2nd wicket, the 4th instance of the pair scoring a 200 run partnership in ODIs. Both players went on to score centuries. India eventually won the match by 6 runs, with Rohit being adjudged the Man of the Match while Virat was named the Man of the Series. Indian cricket is blessed to have two world-class players who relish each other's success.

#2 Jayant Yadav (241 runs against England)

Kohli and Jayant put on the highest partnership ever for the 8th wicket in India

India had grabbed a 2-0 lead going into the 4th Test at Mumbai against England, in the all-important home series of the 2016/17 season. After Ravichandran Ashwin helped India bowl out England for 400 in their first innings, India needed a big first innings lead. However, when Jayant Yadav joined Kohli at the crease after the fall of the 7th wicket, India were still adrift of the English score by 36 runs.

What followed was mass destruction of the England bowlers at the Wankhede, as they were dumped out of the contest literally. Kohli and Jayant compiled a humongous 241-run stand between them, the highest 8th-wicket partnership for India in Tests. Jayant scored his maiden Test century and Kohli registered his highest Test score of 235. India eventually won the match by an innings and 36 runs. That partnership marked the renaissance of the Indian lower order.

#1 Ajinkya Rahane (262 runs against Australia and 365 runs against New Zealand)

Kohli and Rahane are India's best Test players

As Kohli himself conceded in an interview, Ajinkya Rahane has to be the player with whom Kohli enjoys batting the most. The pair have been at the forefront of two-game changing partnerships in Indian cricket, when they conjured up a monumental 262-run stand against the Aussies at the MCG, during the 2014 Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Kohli fought fire with fire, as he blazed his way to an incredible 169. He was often involved in heated coversations with Mitchell Johnson, while his partner was more sedate but highly entertaining during the course of his brilliant 147. That partnership has to be one of the best by an Indian pair in foreign conditions.

The pair once again compiled a gigantic partnership of 365 for the fourth wicket against New Zealand in 2016 at Indore, which is now the highest 4th wicket stand for India in Test cricket. Kohli scored a magnificent 211, his second in the year and Rahane scored a classy 188, his highest Test score till date. These two remain India's best batsmen in the longer format of the game.