Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma seek blessing at Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan

VRINDAVAN(Uttar Pradesh): A day after declaring retirement from Test cricket, India’s cricket veteran Virat Kohli reached Vrindavan with his wife Anushka Sharma on Tuesday.

The duo visited the famous spiritual figure, Premanand Maharaj, at Vrindavan Dham for his blessings. Upon his arrival at the ashram, Premanand Maharaj asked Kohli, “Are you happy?” to which Virat replied, “I am fine.”

Addressing the couple, Premanand Ji propagated the law of the Lord, saying, “When the Lord blesses you, getting wealth is not a blessing. The Lord’s grace means changing the inner thoughts. Chant the name of the Lord and not worry at all.”

This is the third time that the duo have visited Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan.

Additionally, Premanand Ji also advised that instead of chanting the Lord’s name, one should be fully devoted to one’s heart. Maharaj said, “There is no need to chant ‘Radha’ too much, but whatever you do, do it with a full heart.”

Kohli’s decision to hang his test boots marked an end to an illustrious 14-year career, which saw him dominate a variety of conditions, regions, and opponents in whites, both as a batter and captain.

#WATCH | #ViratKohli and Anushka Sharma arrive at Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan pic.twitter.com/u6rI5EGLMn

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2025

Virat’s decision to retire from Tests came after it was reported that Kohli had communicated his decision to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of next month’s five-match Test series against England.

In his Test career, the 36-year-old made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and the best score of 254*. He is India’s fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).

Kohli made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies. While his first Test tour was a massive disappointment with just 76 runs in five innings, a young Virat made a name for himself with some serious, counter-attacking knocks in the coming days. (ANI)