Virat Kohli is back in action in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka after leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies. In the first ODI of the three-match series in Colombo on August 2, Kohli scored 24 runs off 32 balls in a match that ended in a thrilling tie. As the teams looked forward to the second ODI at the same venue, Kohli spent some time wooing his fans back in Sri Lanka. He engaged in a light-hearted conversation and signed autographs on memorabilia of every kind.
Kohli never leaves any stone unturned to show his candid side to his global followers. During the Asia Cup 2023, after a young Sri Lankan cricketer gifted Kohli a silver bat, with each of his centuries engraved on it, he humorously engaged with a fan who asked him to sign the bat back in Colombo. “Shall I sign it? You said it’s for me, then you’re saying to sign it?!” Kohli quipped as the crowd erupted into laughter.
Virat:- Sign kru kya?? Apne bola mere liye hai… Abhi aake bol rhe ho sign😂😂❤️
Kohli being Kohli🥹#ViratKohli | #IndvsSl pic.twitter.com/TsrAbj2ah3— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrognxvirat) August 1, 2024
The 36-year-old had announced his retirement from T20Is after India’s World Cup win on June 29. Though Kohli has hanged up his boots in the shortest format, he remains an integral part of the Indian Test and ODI outfits, specially with the team having a choc-a-bloc schedule till the all-important Champions Trophy 2025.
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Virat Kohli ended his T20I career on a high with a match-defining performance in the World Cup final against South Africa. His 76 off 59 balls did help the team recover from an top-order collapse to set a competitive total of 176 runs. As he shared his thoughts after his last T20I innings, Kohli shared an emotional moment with long-time teammate Rohit Sharma.
“I was telling Rohit today when we went out to bat, you feel like one day you can’t get a run, and then you come out, and things happen. God is great. I bow my head in gratitude. I am really grateful that I was able to get the job done for the team on the day it mattered the most,” Virat Kohli said after the final.
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The manner in which Kohli conducts himself with the fans, along with the pressure he delivers under, has gone on to continue his legacy of being one of the most loved and influential figures the game of cricket has ever seen.
