Team India star Virat Kohli and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, took a spiritual break in Rishikesh before the former’s return to cricket action against Australia later this month. Kohli has been named to the Indian team for the four-match Test series against the top-ranked side in the Test Championship.
He is expected to play a key role as India seeks a final berth in the tournament. The couple, along with their daughter Vamika, visited Swami Dayanand Giri Ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, and several photos of their visit went viral on social media platforms.
Hindu sher Kohli saab before BGT ??? pic.twitter.com/gwDuChoBpv
— Div? (@div_yumm) January 30, 2023
Many fans were quick to recall a comment made by Kohli seven years ago during a press conference at the 20-20 World Cup as pictures of the couple’s visit to the Ashram were shared on Twitter. A reporter had asked Kohli if he does ‘pooja-paath’ (prayers) to keep himself calm in pressure situations before India’s do-or-die match against Australia at the tournament in Mohali.
“Do I look like the pooja-path types? (Do I look like I pray and worship?)” said Kohli, the Indian team’s vice-captain at the time. The entire room was left in splits.
“When I started, a lot about me was wrong. I was the tattoo guy, the one who wore stylish clothes. It is very easy to focus on the negative stuff but I choose not to do that. The basic thinking is I want to improve as a cricketer every day. I make sure I do all the hard work and hope it pays off one day. I back myself to go out there and win the game.
“As a cricketer, you don’t have a long career. For me, it is an opportunity. Once you get addicted to it (performing), you want more and more of it. You work so hard and you want that satisfaction,” he had said.