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Did Virat Kohli really get called out as 'Chokli' in front of his teammates? Contrasting videos raise eyebrows
Two different videos, one featuring the 'Chokli' chants and one without it, has got the internet confused.
In the early hours of Tuesday, a video of Virat Kohli went viral. The star India batter was visibly upset as when a fan referred to him as 'Chokli' as he was seen shadow practicing in a room filled with his teammates. Kohli was going through his motions when a fan burst into 'Chokli-Chokli' chants, which immediately caught Kohli's attention. Kohli's head snapped almost instantaneously at the guy, and judging by the look in his eyes, Virat wasn't happy.
Hence, when the term was fired at him, he did not take it kindly and responded saying: 'Not here'. However, another clip that emerged later in the day proves otherwise. As per the same, the fan was either asking for an autograph or just recording him – hence the 'Not here' bit from Kohli – and that the 'chants' were edited into the video. However, HT could not independently verify which of the two videos is the real clip.
Below are the two videos, the first one with the chant and the other without it:
Kohli landed in Sri Lanka on Monday morning and while his and the rest of the ODI arrivals' first practice session on Monday was cancelled due to rain in Colombo, the former India captain underwent his first net session since the T20 World Cup final, on Tuesday. While the official video clips from the practice are yet to be shared by the BCCI, some that were recorded by the fans and uploaded on X showed Kohli connecting the ball well.
What Virat Kohli was up to in the last one month
Kohli spent the last one month in London with wife Anushka Sharma and kids Vamika and Akaay. He was seen attending a kirtan there and with his second-born, Akaay in his lap as all four went to visit a flower shop in England's capital. Having been named in the ODI squad, the first game against Sri Lanka on Friday would mark his first 50-overs match for India since the 2023 World Cup final on November 19 last year. Having announced his retirement from T20 internationals with a Player of the Match worthy performance.
Virat Kohli's record against Sri Lanka
With the 2025 Champions Trophy seven months away, and Kohli a sure-shot pick for it, the star India batter is expected to pull out all the stops and come all guns blazing to have a shot at another ICC trophy. And what better way to get into the ODI groove against a team he has a stellar record. Kohli has loved feasting on the Sri Lankan attack – the same team against whom he made his India debut back in 2008 – and his record of 2595 runs from 25 ODIs against them at an average of 63.26 and 10 centuries is a testament to it.
Besides, when it comes to Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium, those number gallop even further. In 11 ODIs, Kohli has hammered 644 runs at the venue including four centuries, boasting an average of a stunning 107.3. In one of his most recent outings – the 2023 Asia Cup match against Pakistan – Kohli pummelled an unbeaten 122 as India ran roughshod over their arch-rivals to win the match by 228 runs.
