Virat Kohli opens up on his 5-month time away from cricket

Overview

• Virat Kohli had not played cricket after winning the IPL 2025 Final on June 2, 2025 till his appearance in the first ODI against Australia on October 19, 2025
• The Indian cricketer was glad to have got some time to spend with his family and regarded it to be a beautiful phase
• Virat did not have a good return, as he registered a duck, his first-ever in Australia in ODIs

Virat Kohli had not played cricket after winning the IPL 2025 Final on June 2, 2025 till his appearance in the first ODI against Australia on October 19, 2025 The Indian cricketer was glad to have got some time to spend with his family and regarded it to be a beautiful phase Virat did not have a good return, as he registered a duck, his first-ever in Australia in ODIs.

The first ODI between India and Australia in Perth had multiple play stoppages due to the rain interference. During one of those stoppages, Virat spoke about his time away from cricket. Kohli stayed in London with his family till joining the Indian squad for the tour of Australia.

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"I got to spend some real quality time with my kids and family something I haven't been able to do much over the years. It's been a beautiful phase, one that I deeply cherish," Virat said while having a conversation with Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri on Fox Cricket.

"Man is serious about wanting to play this World Cup," - Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli

Dinesh Karthik opened up on Virat's wish, will, passion, and hunger to play the ODI World Cup. The RCB mentor claimed that the 36-year-old practiced cricket even during his time away from cricket and added that he had about two to three sessions of cricket every week.

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"In London, he was training during this big layoff that he's had after a long time in his life. And I also know he was practising cricket easily, two to three sessions a week. That tells you the man is serious about wanting to play this World Cup," Karthik said in an interview.