Virat Kohli evades security to hug unknown lady at airport. 'Who's she?' internet scrambles to know her identity
Who was the lady? Why did Kohli hug her? Internet was flooded with questions since the video of Kohli hugging the lady at the Bhubaneswar airport went viral.
Those who have had the privilege of watching Virat Kohli with friends and family have a fair idea of how he treats them. He is fiercely protective, madly in love, and all heart. It is all or nothing, much like how he is on the cricket field. Once Kohli forms a bond, it stays. He may not be able to meet that often, but whenever he does, he tries his best to pack a lifetime in a moment. Take his meeting with his old friend Shavez at the Arun Jaitely Stadium during a Ranji Trophy match last month.
Kohli was returning to domestic cricket after more than 12 years, and countless fans had gathered to watch him bat, but Kohli found his way to his old friend and his son Kabir. He shared tips with Kabir, cracked jokes with his father, and made it look like an everyday affair. And mind you, he was under extreme pressure to perform in that match after a string of low scores in Australia. But there was no trace of it in his smile when he was interacting with his old friend, the young Delhi cricketers and even the coaches and support staff. That's Virat Kohli for you.
Over the years, he has learned not to let matters on the field affect his personal space. After all that he has achieved, that perhaps comes naturally. But Kohli has mastered the art.
After a disappointing outing in his much-talked-about Ranji return, Kohli missed the first ODI against England due to a knee injury. He returned to the XI for the second match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack and walked out to bat at No.3 after a blistering opening stand between Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. Barabati was at its noisy best, expecting something big from Kohli in a format that he has made his own. But alas! Kohi got the faintest of nicks to an Adil Rashid tossed-up delivery for 5.
Another match. Another low score. Did that bother Kohli? It sure did. Did he let the world know? He didn't.
The day after the second ODI, the Indian team reached the Bhubaneswar airport to fly to Ahmedabad, where the third and final ODI before the Champions Trophy is set to take place. Amid tight security, Kohli was making his way to the check-in area before he spotted someone in the crowd. There was a big smile on his face. He somehow evaded the guards, leaned forward, and hugged a lady before exchanging a quick word and walking off.
Who was the lady? Why did Kohli hug her? Was she just an ordinary fan who got lucky? The Internet has been flooded with such questions ever since the video of Kohli hugging the lady at the Bhubaneswar airport went viral.
Judging by Kohli's body language and expressions, it appears that he knew the lady, and she wasn't just a fan. Hindustan Times could not independently verify the lady's identity, but a fan page of the former India captain claimed that she was a close relative.
Team India landed in Ahmedabad late on Monday night. They have already won the three-match series 2-1 but the last match on Wednesday will be crucial for Kohli to get some runs under his belt before flying to Dubai for the Champions Trophy.
