Virat Kohli lands in Sri Lanka amid T20 WC triumph 

The GOAT has arrived. At the very least, that is what the internet is buzzing about. Virat Kohli landed in Sri Lanka for the three-match ODI series, which begins on August 2, precisely a month after India won the legendary T20 World Cup. After their separate holidays, Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma reached Sri Lanka on Sunday night and Monday morning, respectively. While Rohit was in the United States, going from city to city. On the other hand, Kohli returned to action after spending the previous month in London with his wife Anushka Sharma, and children Vamika and Akaay.

Virat Kohli’s great comeback to ODI cricket

This will be Rohit or Kohli’s first ODI since the 2023 World Cup final. Nothing, not even the T20 World Cup victory, will ease the sorrow of November 19. But with the Champions Trophy on the line, a competition that Kohli and Rohit won as teammates in 2013 and came close to repeating in 2017, the two veterans will be fired up. 

However, the patch-up of Kohli and Gautam Gambhir is the one facet of the ODI series that is sure to pique fans’ interest. The former India colleagues, now IPL opponents, appear to have gone a long way since their bitter disagreement last year. 

According to sources, Virat Kohli was meant to sit out the whole Sri Lanka trip but prioritized it because it was Gambhir’s first two series as India’s coach. Kohli and Rohit had been set for their first practice session on Monday. However, rain threw an unexpected twist in the process, canceling Ro-Ko’s much-anticipated hit in the nets.

Kohli-Gambhir reunion can’t-wait

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However, the Gambhir-Kohli gathering would have to wait. The India coach is now with the T20I team in Pallekele, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in Colombo, which will host three ODIs on August 2, 4, and 7. According to a source, one of the two assistant coaches, Abhishek Nayar, has been assigned to monitor Kohli and Rohit’s practice sessions at the R Premadasa stadium.

As a result, while Virat Kohli and Gambhir may not start working together right away, it is quite interesting. When it occurs, Gambhir and Kohli will return to the Indian team for the first time since 2016. Gambhir last played for India in a home Test series against England eight years ago, captained by Kohli. It was the same series in which Kohli scored 655 runs to earn the Player of the Series title.

There is much cricket history between Virat Kohli and Gambhir. Their friendship began when they were both playing Ranji Trophy for Delhi. They were colleagues, one senior and the other a junior, when India won the 2011 World Cup at home. But when Gambhir’s career began to wind down in 2012-2013, Virat Kohli’s took off. It’s still flying 12 years later, and with the India great declaring his retirement, anticipate more from him as there is a CT and a World Test Championship to be won, if India makes the final.

Kohli’s dominance over Sri Lanka

Behind Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli has scored the most runs against Sri Lanka in ODIs. This great star player has played 53 ODIs. He scored an amazing 2594 runs at an average of 63.26 and a strike rate of 93.91. Includes 10 centuries and 12 fifties. The ODI team has begun training in Colombo, led by assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Meanwhile, the remaining T20I players will join the team following the conclusion of the series. India leads the series 2-0 over Sri Lanka in the shortest format and will want a clean sweep in the third T20I on Tuesday, July 30.