The return of Virat Kohli to the ODI arena sparked a wave of excitement at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram as the former India captain walked out to bat during the first ODI against the West Indies. Kohli made his way to the crease after Rohit Sharma was dismissed in front of a packed stadium.
The moment Kohli stepped onto the field, the stadium erupted. Thousands of supporters rose to their feet, with loud chants of “Virat, Virat” echoing around the venue. The reception underlined the enormous following the veteran batter continues to enjoy across India.
As Kohli took guard, the noise inside the stadium reached another level. Cameras captured the animated crowd celebrating the arrival of one of Indian cricket's most recognisable stars. The fans cheered Shubman Gill, who took a single to give the former captain striker.
Kohli walked into bat after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 32. The Indian openers provided the hosts a fine start, putting on a 74-run stand in 12 overs. India need 296 runs to win, after Kuldeep Yadav's 4-fer earlier in the day helped restrict the West Indies.
Kohli's record in run chases is unbeleivable and he enjoys a good record in Thiruvananthapuram. He has scored 199 runs in two previous ODIs there, including an unbeaten 166 against Sri Lanka in 2023. 59 more on Sunday would take him past 15,000 in ODIs, only after Sachin Tendulkar.
