Watch: Virat Kohli receives rousing reception at 'second home' Bengaluru during pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli walked out to bat to a huge cheer from the Bengaluru crowd during the pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka.
Former India captain Virat Kohli received a rousing reception as he came to bat during Day 1 of the second and final Test of the series against Sri Lanka on Saturday. The side is taking on Dimuth Karunaratne's men in the pink-ball Test – India's third at home – in Bengaluru. The city is Kohli's ‘second home’, as the 33-year-old has been representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise since the inception of the Indian Premier League in 2008.
India endured a poor start after winning the toss in Bengaluru as Mayank Agarwal (4) was run out in the most bizarre fashion. The opener was dismissed off a no-ball, courtesy a clear lack of communication between him and Rohit Sharma. A few minutes later, the Indian captain was also dismissed on 15, bringing Kohli to the crease.
Here's how the crowd in Bengaluru reacted when Kohli entered the ground:
Kohli had called Bengaluru his “second home” during an interview in 2017. The former Indian captain had led the RCB franchise from 2013-2021, having stepped down from the role during the second phase of the IPL edition last year.
The right-handed batter has been going through a rough patch with the bat and his wait for a 71st international century has extended to over two years. The batting legend had played his 100th Test earlier in the first Test of the series in Mohali, where he scored 45 in his only innings of the game.
Earlier, India had won the toss and opted to bat in the day/night game in Bengaluru. Axar Patel made a return to the Indian team, replacing fellow spinner Jayant Yadav.
The Rohit-led Indian team will be aiming to secure a 2-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka before the players disperse to their respective Indian Premier League franchises for the 2022 edition, which begins on March 26.
