Virat Kohli arrives in Sri Lanka for ODI series, reunion with Gautam Gambhir awaits

Virat Kohli has arrived in Sri Lanka for the upcoming three-match ODI series starting on August 2. The 'King' landed in the island nation exactly a month after India's historic T20 World Cup victory. He returns to action after spending quality time with his wife Anushka Sharma and their kids in London.

Notably, this will be the first ODI for either Kohli or captain Rohit Sharma since the heartbreak against Australia in the 2023 World Cup final. With Champions Trophy 2025 on the radar, the star duo, who have announced their retirement from T20Is, will be eyeing another ICC trophy to adorn in their illustrious career.

The one-day format has been Kohli's forte, surpassing legend Sachin Tendulkar to reach 50 centuries last November, and fans are hoping the ace cricketer will boss the upcoming series. However, apart from his on-field heroics, the internet is waiting to witness the reunion between Kohli and new Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir.

The former India teammates had turned into fierce rivals during the Indian Premier League (IPL) but buried the hatchet and will now work together for the same goal. According to reports, Kohli and Rohit were supposed to miss the ODI series but prioritized it knowing this was Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach.

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Kohli-Gambir reunion delayed

Meanwhile, fans have to wait for the much-awaited Kohli and Gambhir reunion. The former India opener is currently with the T20I team in Pallekale, while Kohli and Rohit are in Colombo, the venue for the ODI series. The Suryakumar Yadav-led T20I team has already won the series and will now aim for a 3-0 whitewash against the Lankan side on Tuesday (July 30).

Also Read: WATCH: Gautam Gambhir seen having serious chat with Suryakumar Yadav after T20 series win versus Sri Lanka

Gambhir and his support staff are expected to join the ODI squad on Wednesday. This will be the first time since 2016 that Gambhir and Kohli are back as a team for India. Gambhir last played for India in a Test series against England at home eight years ago. Interestingly, it was under Kohli's captaincy.