The Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma have visited Vrindavan’s Premanand Maharaj a day after his test retirement.
The couple have made visits to multiple spiritual centres in recent years, often in times of transition, as this one. They visited the Vrindavan Dham to seek blessings from their spiritual guru, Pramananad Maharaj, whom they have closely followed over the years.
Virat Kohli’s visit to the holy city came amid widespread reactions to his decision to step away from his favourite format.
The 35-year old had informed the BCCI of his retirement plans in advance, but reports suggest a senior board official had been trying to persuade him to continue, especially for the upcoming five-test tour of England starting on June.
Virat Kohli brought the curtains down on an illustrious 14-year-long red-ball career, having featured in 123 tests.
He has 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 in the long format since his debut against the West Indies in 2011. Following Sachin Tendulkar‘s retirement in 2013, Virat Kohli emerged as an integral part of India’s squad in red-ball cricket.
He has 30 centuries and seven double hundreds, the most by and Indian in the format. As a captain he has led India to 40 wins in 68 tests, making him the most’s successful skipper in the nation’s history.
Speaking his thoughts, the emotions attached to playing for the country in red-ball cricket.
“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life. There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites,” said Virat Kohli.
Thanking his well-wishers, he continued, “The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right.”
“I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off. 🇮🇳❤️.”
He would continue to represent the country in ODIs and will also feature in the IPL for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He has been in ominous form in the ongoing IPL season. He has 505 runs in 11 games and thanks to his brilliance, the franchise has secured a good spot before IPL 2025 got suspended and secured second spot with eight wins in 11 games.
