Virat Kohli’s recent form has been a major topic of conversation during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The celebrated Indian batter is currently going through a tough patch in his career, especially in red-ball cricket, where he has only averaged 25.06 this season. While his struggles have been widely discussed, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan has shared a personal story from Kohli’s 2018 England tour that sheds light on the cricketer’s mental resilience.
Varun Dhawan recalled an incident from the 2018 series, revealing how Kohli was deeply affected after a loss. “Virat, I mean, everything he’s been through, the times he’s not been in good form, some insights that Anushka shared with me, about his mindset. I think it was a Nottingham Test [Birmingham, 2018] where India had lost, and she said she didn’t attend that game that day. She came back, she didn’t know where Virat was, and she came to the room and saw him laid down, literally crying,” Dhawan said on The Ranveer Show, hosted by Ranveer Allahbadia.
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However, Dhawan had mixed up the details. In reality, India won the third Test of the series in Nottingham by 203 runs, with Kohli earning the Player of the Match award for his superb scores of 97 and 103. Dhawan was referring to the first Test of the series, which India lost by 31 runs in Birmingham, despite Kohli’s magnificent 149 and 51.
#VarunDhawan talks about #ViratKohli & #AnushkaSharma ❤️ pic.twitter.com/yLoZNYl1XD
— Rocky. (@KohliInspirer) December 19, 2024
“He [Kohli] took the whole thing on himself that I failed when he was still the highest scorer that day, he was the captain of the side that day,” Varun Dhawan clarified.
Kohli’s struggles in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy have been noticeable, with a solitary highlight being his unbeaten 100 in the second innings at Perth. He has been dismissed for low scores of 7 and 11 in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide and just 3 runs in Brisbane.
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With the last two Tests of the series to be played in Melbourne and Sydney, Kohli will be eager to rediscover his form. His record at both venues is strong—316 runs at the MCG with a highest score of 169 and 248 runs in Sydney at an average of 49.60. The upcoming matches offer a perfect opportunity for Kohli to get back to scoring big runs, which will be crucial for both his personal comeback and India’s success.
