Google Trends paints a transparent picture about why Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli are the only two superstars of Indian cricket in the last 2 decades

Google Trends highlighted Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar's popularity, as the two players remain the most searched cricketers of all time.

Google Trends paints a transparent picture about why Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli are the only two superstars of Indian cricket in the last 2 decades

Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar remain the most searched cricketers on Google, over the last 25 years. (via

Indian cricketing greats Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli‘s popularity remains unmatched, as the two players remain atop the Google Trends list of the most searched cricketers. The two batters have remained a dominant force in the sport’s popularity all around the world.

Google, founded in the year 1998, has been the go-to search engine for users all around the world for more than 25 years now. In India, cricket which has been one of the most searched topics in the country, has often been seen atop major trends on Google. Since Google Trends’ launch, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, have consistently been among the most searched cricket figures.

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Interestingly, Kohli most recently, became the most searched cricket player on Google. The 36-year-old, who remains one of the finest batters of the generation, comes way ahead of his modern day cricket compatriots, including Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya. Since 2014, he has been the most searched cricketer, as well as one of the most trending athletes around the world.

Kohli first came into the news, when he led India to win the ICC under-19 World Cup in 2008. He made his national team debut soon after. The 36-year-old batter has won four major trophies with the Indian team since then, the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2013 and 2025 Champions Trophies. He has also bagged ten ICC awards, making him the most decorated player in international cricket history.

Apart from these titles, Kohli, known for his playing style and brilliant batting abilities, is also the highest run-getter in the IPL, the third highest run-scorer in international cricket, as well player with the most ODI centuries. Kohli most recently, broke the record for being the fastest player to make it past the 14,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just 287 innings, during the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Moreover, he managed to surpass Indian cricket legend and his predecessor, Sachin Tendulkar’s record. The only other player to have remained atop the list of cricketers trending on Google was Tendulkar. He was the most searched player for almost a decade. Called the ‘God of Cricket’, he is the leading international run-scorer, and his legacy remains unparalleled.

The change in Google’s top cricket search from Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli reflects a clear generational shift in cricket’s popularity. While many cricketers have achieved international success, the sustained dominance of Tendulkar and Kohli underscores India’s clout in cricket.

IPL opener between RCB and KKR sees Virat Kohli hit 400th T20 match landmark

Royal Challengers Bengaluru star and Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli played his 400th T20 match. RCB took on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2025 IPL opener, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Virat Kohli 400 T20s
Virat Kohli will be playing his 400th T20, during IPL 2025 opener between RCB and KKR. (via NDTV)

Virat Kohli also became only the third Indian cricket to go past the 400 T20 games mark. He is following in the footsteps of Rohit Sharma and ex-India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik. The 36-year-old batter also holds the record of having scored the highest number of runs by an Indian in the shortest format of the game. Kohli has amassed over 12800 runs in T20s, which included nine centuries.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli also stands out as the sole active player from the 2008 IPL opener between Kolkata Knight Rider and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Nonetheless, the 36-year-old will be looking to add to his massive IPL tally of 8004 runs this season. He comes off the back of a successful Champions Trophy campaign with India.