Virat Kohli has ended a streak that lasted nearly three years. Just days ahead of the ODI series opener against New Zealand in Vadodara, the former India captain shared photos from a training session at Kotambi Stadium on Instagram.
So, what’s the big deal?
It is this: Kohli has posted images from a training session on his Instagram page for the first time since the 2023 World Test Championship final.
The star batter shared three photographs in total — one showing him striking the ball in the nets, another capturing him taking part in running drills alongside his teammates, and a third where he is seen walking towards the training ground with his kit bag.
For Kohli and his fans, it marks a refreshing change. Supporters have long been eager to catch a glimpse of the veteran’s preparation ahead of major series, something that has been largely absent from his social media presence in recent years.
Kohli has mostly restricted his Instagram activity to commercial endorsements, holiday posts with his wife Anushka Sharma, and messages marking major career milestones. These have included celebrations following India’s T20 World Cup triumph, the Champions Trophy victory and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 title win.
Several fans have previously expressed disappointment over Kohli’s reduced engagement on social media. Once known for being highly active online, the former captain has, in recent years, chosen to limit his posts to a select few themes — making this latest training update all the more notable.
Also Read: Fans spot Virat Kohli’s special cardigan at Mumbai airport
Virat Kohli arrived in Vadodara, which will host a men’s ODI for the first time on Sunday, earlier this week and began his preparation straightaway. Kohli was mobbed by fans at airport upon arrival on Wednesday.
Kohli welcomed the New Year with his family and friends in Dubai before returning to India for the ODI assignment. The 36-year-old played two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in December, marking his return to the domestic 50-over tournament after 16 years.
Kohli has looked in imperious touch so far, following up a superb 131 with a fluent 77 in his two outings. During this run, Kohli also crossed the 16,000-run mark in List A cricket, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone and eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
Kohli’s domestic form comes on the back of an outstanding ODI series against South Africa, where back-to-back centuries and a fifty (a tally of 302 runs) helped India secure a 2–1 series victory.
Kohli will be keen on extending his good run with the bat when India and New Zealand meet on Sunday. Shubman Gill will lead the ODI side, which also has Rohit Sharma who is returning to action for the first time since playing VIjay Hazare Trophy matches in the last week of December.
– Ends
