Watch: Virat Kohli Welcomed By Roses In Raipur, Smile On His Face Says It All
Virat Kohli was welcomed to the Raipur hotel by children holding roses in their hands, ahead of the second ODI against South Africa.
After a roaring century against South Africa in the first ODI of the 3-match series in Ranchi, Virat Kohli arrived in Raipur on the eve of the second ODI. As the Indian batting stalwart looked to enter the hotel, he saw a swarm of children around him, all surrounding Kohli with roses in their hands. Kohli obliged the young fans and collected roses from them, with the gesture bringing a big smile to his face. The video left Kohli's fans on social media in awe, with the moment truly encapsulating the love the 37-year-old receives in the country.
Kohli remains the poster boy of Indian cricket, even if he has retired from T20Is and Tests. With the fire of winning the 2027 World Cup for India still burning bright in his heart, Kohli would hope to enter the second ODI in Raipur with the same belief that saw him hit 135 runs in Ranchi on Sunday.
this is how fans welcomed kohli in raipur pic.twitter.com/Y1YNCNUcxd
— (@wrognxvirat) December 2, 2025
Virat Kohli Has Nothing To Prove: R Ashwin
Speaking on his YouTube channel, 'Ash Ki Baat', former India spinner Ashwin said that Kohli's intent and joy on the field were remarkable. With nothing left to prove, he played purely for the love of the game.
"What stood out was Virat Kohli's intent. We all know what kind of player Virat is. And he has nothing to prove to anyone. Virat's intent and happiness was amazing to watch. I always used to say that after a certain point of time when you have nothing to prove to anyone, it is only about the joy of the game. And I liked that Virat also emphasised that I played with complete joy," Ashwin said.
"And that is the most important thing. I've often said cricket is like any other art form--not that I'm directly comparing them, but it's still a form of expression. When players have an exceptional day or achieve something remarkable, they often talk about being 'in the zone.' What is that zone? It's that feeling, that pure expression of your craft. That is the zone. And Virat looked completely in it," the off-spinner said further.
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Virat Kohli