Virat Kohli was given a very overwhelming reception upon his arrival at the hotel in Kanpur. He was greeted with presents, bouquets and a 'rudraksh' as sea of people mobbed him as soon as he entered the hotel. While Kohli never shies away from fulfilling fan requests for selfie or autograph this time around he had to awkwardly decline a handshake from a hotel staff member due to the overwhelming nature of the welcome.
Juggling a bouquet in one hand and his personal belongings in the other, Kohli was unable to accept a handshake from one of the hotel staff. With an awkward smile, Kohli explained, "Sir, 2 hi haath hain (I’ve only got two hands)," and compensated for the missed handshake with a polite 'thank you' instead.
Kohli arrived in Kanpur alongside teammate Rishabh Pant and coach Gautam Gambhir as he gears up for the second Test in the series. This is Kohli's second visit to the stadium having already featured in latest match against New Zealand. He played the match in 2021, scoring 27 runs across two innings.
Talkinh about his performance in the current series, Kohli, had a poor outing with the bat in the first Test in Chennai. The right hander could only manage scores of 6 and 17. However he will be looking to return to form as India aims for a strong performance in the series.
After missing the home series against England earlier this year due to the birth of his second child, Kohli made a strong return to the Indian team. He had an impressive 2024 IPL season, followed by standout innings in the T20 World Cup final helping India' to victory. As India navigates through a packed cricket schedule, Kohli remains a vital asset for the team in their pursuit of future triumphs.
