England batter Jordan Cox has opened up about an unexpected experience involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate Virat Kohli, revealing how a private meeting between the two in London was secretly photographed and later circulated on social media. The incident, according to Cox, highlighted the immense challenges Kohli faces in maintaining any sense of privacy despite stepping away from Test cricket.
Kohli, who has been spending considerable time in the United Kingdom since announcing his retirement from Test cricket, has often spoken about protecting the privacy of his family, especially his children, Vamika and Akaay. However, the latest episode once again underlined the constant public attention that follows one of cricket’s biggest global icons.
Recalling the incident, Cox admitted he was stunned after learning that someone had taken photographs of their casual cafe meeting without either of them noticing. The images quickly went viral on social media ahead of Cox’s anticipated Test debut against New Zealand at The Oval. “The upsetting thing for him is that people are following him without him knowing. Hundreds of people walked past us, no one stopped, no one did anything. But then, about two hours later, he’s texting me asking, ‘Have you seen all these photos?’ I was like, ‘What the hell?'”
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The 25-year-old added that he felt sorry for Kohli, who simply wanted to spend time with a teammate away from the spotlight. “It’s just a shame how many people want a piece of him. He just wants to go under the radar, have fun and live a normal life. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible,” Cox said.
Beyond the off-field incident, Cox also praised Kohli’s leadership and mentorship during IPL 2026. Having shared the RCB dressing room with the Indian superstar, the England batter said Kohli consistently made time to guide younger players despite being one of the biggest names in world cricket.
Jordan Cox Revealed Virat Kohli Texted Him After Their Meet-up In London 🚨
He said he met Virat Kohli in London for a quiet catch-up ahead of his Test debut, but their private meeting was secretly photographed without their knowledge.
A few hours later, he (Virat) texted me… pic.twitter.com/e1vNxmlbbR— 𝚅𝚊𝚛𝚞𝚗¹⁸ (@varunx18) July 10, 2026
“The thing that I found most special during the IPL is how much time he gave me as a player. For someone who’s achieved so much, he gives back so much. Some players focus only on themselves, but Virat always wants to help others first. That’s very rare,” Cox remarked.
Kohli enjoyed another outstanding IPL campaign, finishing as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s highest run-scorer with 675 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 165.84. He capped off the season by producing an unbeaten 75 in the final against Gujarat Titans, earning the Player of the Match award as RCB lifted the trophy.
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However, the veteran batter suffered a hamstring injury during the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, forcing him to miss India’s ODI series against Afghanistan while completing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Now fully fit after more than a month of training in England, Kohli is set to make his international comeback in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England beginning on July 14. With India looking to recover from disappointing T20I series defeats against Ireland and England, the experienced batter will be expected to play a pivotal role in the 50-over leg of the tour.
