Virat Kohli is back in town. The 37-year-old touched down in India on Thursday afternoon, landing in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and, as expected, was in a jovial mood. As soon as the former India captain made his way out of the airport, the paparazzi surrounded him, seemingly wanting to click his pictures. At first, Kohli asked the shutterbugs for some space so he could get to his car. Soon after, he handed his handbag to his support staff, and then obliged the camerapersons by striking a pose near his car.
Virat Kohli landed at the Mumbai airport on Thursday afternoon (Viral Bhayani – Instagram)
Kohli was also heard asking the fans who wanted to get clicked with him. “Haan bhai, kaun kaun hai photo wala?” (Yes, who all wants to get a photo?)”
The legendary batter was also seen asking people around to proceed with caution and to ensure safety protocols were followed. After obliging the fans for a few minutes, Kohli made his way to his car and eventually left for his destination.
Kohli was seen dressed in a white T-shirt, beige jacket and black trousers.
Kohli left for London as soon as the three-match ODI series against New Zealand got over in January 2026. He was India’s leading run-scorer, but the team, captained by Shubman Gill, ended up suffering a series defeat.
Kohli struck a century in the series decider, but his one-man show wasn’t enough to help India get over the line. Before the series against the Black Caps, Kohli also represented Delhi in the first two Vijay Hazare Trophy games, scoring a century and a half-century.
Kohli will next be seen in action in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 edition, where RCB will look to defend its title. However, as of now, no one knows where the franchise will play its home games. A sense of uncertainty remains over M Chinnaswamy Stadium after the stampede last year, which killed 11 people.
Kohli’s remarkable form
After Kohli’s Test retirement last year, questions were raised about his form and his desire to continue until the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The series against Australia Down Under got off to a horrendous start for Kohli as he registered back-to-back ducks. However, he hasn’t looked back since. In the next seven matches for India, Kohli returned three centuries and three fifties, silencing all his critics. Over the last few months, Kohli’s relationship with head coach Gautam Gambhir has also come under the spotlight, with the duo rarely seen conversing.
After the end of the first ODI, Kohli was seen seemingly giving Gambhir the cold shoulder as he went past him in the dressing room. However, recently, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia brushed aside all the rumours, saying the duo continue to share a good and cordial relationship. He also dismissed the suggestion that Gambhir did not want both Rohit Sharma and Kohli in the ODI setup.