Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, who took an extended break from the sport during the national team’s 5-match Test series against England, has returned to cricketing obligations. Kohli abstained from cricketing commitments to support his wife Anushka Sharma during the latter stages of her pregnancy. He revealed that the couple welcomed a baby boy named Akaay. After Akaay’s arrival, Kohli continued to prioritize family time but has now resumed his cricketing duties in preparation for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
Virat was seen at the airport upon his return to India to rejoin his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore. Earlier reports suggested that the top-order batsman would likely link up with his teammates in Bengaluru before the RCB ‘Unbox’ event. This event is set to take place in Bengaluru on March 19.
Royal Challengers Bangalore commenced their pre-tournament camp without their top player Virat Kohli, who is expected to join in a few days before the team kicks off its IPL campaign against reigning champions Chennai Super Kings on March 22.
The majority of domestic players assembled at the camp under the supervision of new head coach Andy Flower and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat. They engaged in training sessions on the camp’s inaugural day on Wednesday. While skipper Faf du Plessis and West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph were present, Virat Kohli, undoubtedly the biggest draw in Indian cricket, is still finding his rhythm after taking a break for paternity reasons, which kept him out of the high-profile five-Test series against England.
“Kohli is expected to join in the next few days,” a BCCI source, who is monitoring developments within IPL teams, informed PTI.
Kohli could potentially debut for the franchise at ‘RCB Unbox’, a prestigious yearly event held in the Garden City where fans catch a glimpse of their beloved stars.