Mumbai: Ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand on Sunday, Virat Kohli found himself in a rather heart-warming moment off the field as he came across a fan who looked strikingly like his younger self. Pictures and videos of Kohli interacting with his lookalike quickly went viral, becoming one of the most talked-about moments of the opening game.
While Kohli went on to play a sublime knock of 93 runs to guide India to a four-wicket victory in the 301-run chase, it was his doppelganger in the stands who stole plenty of attention on social media.
After the viral buzz, the young fan finally shared what it felt like to meet his idol.
“Maine ekbar unka naam liya. Meri taraf dekha and Hi kaarke bola ki ‘thodi der me aata hoon’. Virat Kohli fir Rohit Sharma se bol raha tha ki ‘oye udhar dekh mera duplicate baitha hai’, Chhota chiku bol raha tha. (I called with his name once and after saying Hi, Kohli told me that he is coming to meet in a moment. Then he turned to Rohit Sharma and said ‘look my duplicate his sitting there’. They were calling me Chhota Chiku),” said the boy.
Kohli’s playful exchange with Rohit Sharma and the youngster added a special human touch to an already memorable day at the stadium.
On the field, Kohli once again showed why he remains the backbone of India’s batting. His fluent 93 powered India to a successful chase, sealing the match with one over to spare.
Speaking after the game, Kohli reflected on his journey and his growing list of achievements.
“I just send the trophies back home to my mum in Gurgaon – she loves keeping them. (about him being the second highest run-scorer in international cricket) If I look back at my whole journey then it is nothing short of a dream come true for me. I have always known my abilities, but I also knew I had to work extremely hard to get where I am today,” said Kohli during the post-match presentation.
He also spoke about gratitude and his mindset toward milestones.
“God has blessed me with far more than I could ever ask for, I look back at my journey with a lot of grace and gratitude, and I feel really proud of it. (was he thinking about his 54th hundred) If I am being brutally honest, the way I’m playing right now, I’m not thinking about milestones at all,” he added.
