WATCH: Virat Kohli’s die-hard fan performs sacred dip in Holy Ganges during Mahakumbh with two heartfelt wishes

Former India skipper Virat Kohli has been undergoing public scrutiny over his bad form with the bat. The 36-year-old scored just 190 runs during the recent tour of Australia which also included a century. Kohli has been named in the ODI squads for the England series and Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. 

One ardent Virat Kohli fan went to the Mahakumbh to pray for the cricketer’s success. The fan while taking a dip in the Holy Ganges was heard saying “Iss Pavan Mahakumbh main Mahadev se bass yahi prathna hai Virat Kohli ko uska peak wapas dila de aur iss Champions Trophy main 5-6 shatak mare. Jai Shree Ram” (In the auspicious Mahakumbh I pray to Lord Shiva that Virat Kohli gets back to his best and scores 5-6 centuries during Champions Trophy 2025. Jai Shree Ram)

A Blessing we all want to see come true ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oC19248kXk

— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 15, 2025

Indian selectors have named a strong squad for the fifty over format which is to be led by Rohit Sharma. The squad included Virat Kohli who is set to bat at number three spot. The 36-year-old last played an ODI match during the tour of Sri Lanka last year. 

Sanjay Manjrekar urges Virat Kohli to play country cricket 

While, Kohli is a huge run-scorer in the ODI format with 50 centuries to his name, the veteran batter has been facing tough time in the Test format. During the recent tour of Australia, the former India skipper was out caught behind on eight occasions to raise questions about his technique. 

Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar has urged Virat Kohli to play County cricket in order to gain experience. Team India are set to tour England next for five-match Test series starting in June. Kohli was initially supposed to play Ranji Trophy but pulled out due to fitness concerns. 

Manjrekar during his chat on Star Sports said “Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket. The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. He could join a county team, as Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice."

The 59-year-old also said “India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches. If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we’ve seen before. That wouldn’t be good for Indian cricket. Playing county cricket could be a very sensible move for him,”