India has a long-standing geopolitical tension with Pakistan, which worsened following the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year. The strain spilled over into sports, with the Suryakumar Yadav-led men’s T20I team refusing to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts during the Asia Cup last month, where the sides faced each other three times, including the final. Later, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led women’s team followed suit in their recent ODI World Cup clash against Pakistan earlier this month.
Despite all this tension and chatter, Virat Kohli didn’t hesitate when a Pakistan fan, Shahil from Karachi, asked for his autograph. In a video shared by RevSportz on Thursday, the fan patiently waited outside the team hotel in Perth, and when Kohli walked out, he signed the batting legend’s Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey.
Kohli, who seemed to be leaving for the optional training session that the team management scheduled for Thursday, kept his kit bag, and then walked up to the fan to sign the jersey.
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While the act left the spectators thrilled, what left him in complete awe was that he had also requested the same of Rohit Sharma, who was already sitting inside the bus. Yet, the 38-year-old stepped out and signed the Indian jersey that the Pakistan fan was carrying.
{{/usCountry}}While the act left the spectators thrilled, what left him in complete awe was that he had also requested the same of Rohit Sharma, who was already sitting inside the bus. Yet, the 38-year-old stepped out and signed the Indian jersey that the Pakistan fan was carrying.
{{/usCountry}}"It was lovely meeting Kohli. I have met him before as well. He is very humble. I had just asked him once," said Sahil. “Same for Rohit, who was already sitting the bus. I just signaled him, requesting for an autograph...I mean that's a lot.”
Kohli and Rohit, along with other prominent members, who included newly-named ODI captain Shubman Gill, were among the first batch of players who arrived in Perth early on Thursday for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia. The contest will get underway on October 19, with the opener slated to be held at the Optus Stadium. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, along with some members of the support staff were part for the first batch.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, spinner Kuldeep Yadav, all-rounder Axar Patel and the rest of the support staff, including bowling coach Morne Morkel, joined them later in the day, having taken an evening flight from Delhi on Wednesday.
The one-day series has generated considerable buzz as it will be Rohit and Kohli's first international outing since India's Champions Trophy triumph in March. However, many aspects and narratives have changed over the last eight months, and the one that has taken centre stage is the future of the two stalwarts and whether they will be included in the scheme of things for the ODI World Cup in 2027.
Both of them have already retired from Tests and T20Is but are believed to be keen on continuing at least till the World Cup in South Africa.