Virat Kohli Shares Warm Hug with Childhood Coach After T20 World Cup Final Heroics: ‘From Your First Practice…’

In a momentous event following India’s thrilling victory over South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, cricket legend Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 international cricket. Kohli, who had struggled with form throughout the tournament, played a crucial innings, scoring 76 off 59 balls in Barbados, helping India recover from a shaky start. During the presentation ceremony, Kohli revealed that this match would be his last T20I appearance.

Kohli was a central figure in India’s victory celebrations, frequently photographed with the trophy alongside captain and longtime teammate Rohit Sharma during the open bus parade through Mumbai’s iconic Marine Drive. Despite the busy schedule, Kohli found time to share a heartfelt moment with his childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma.

Rajkumar Sharma expressed his pride in Kohli’s achievements on Instagram, stating, “From your first practice to your incredible success, you’ve always made me proud @virat.kohli. Keep going strong beta #viratkohli #proud #indiancricketteam #indiancricket.”

A Day to Remember in Mumbai

The Indian team arrived in Delhi from Barbados after a 15-hour flight early Thursday morning. They had a brief stay at their hotel before heading to 7, Lok Kalyan Marg for breakfast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following this, they returned to Delhi airport and flew to Mumbai. From Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport, they traveled 15 kilometers to Nariman Point, where the open-top bus parade began.

The parade, which started from the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Nariman Point post 7:30 PM, took one and a half hours to cover the short distance to Wankhede Stadium due to the massive turnout of fans. Thousands of passionate supporters lined Marine Drive, bringing traffic to a standstill as they gathered to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes. The players enjoyed an evening filled with unadulterated love and admiration from their die-hard fans.

Summary in Bullet Points

• Virat Kohli’s Retirement: Announced retirement from T20 international cricket after India’s win over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
• Crucial Performance: Scored 76 off 59 balls in the final, helping India recover from a shaky start.
• Victory Celebrations: Participated in the victory parade with captain Rohit Sharma through Mumbai’s Marine Drive.
• Heartfelt Moment: Shared a warm hug with his childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, who expressed pride in Kohli’s achievements.
• Busy Schedule: The team arrived in Delhi from Barbados, had breakfast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and then flew to Mumbai for the parade.
• Massive Fan Turnout: Thousands of fans lined Marine Drive, causing traffic standstill, to celebrate the team’s victory.
• Parade Details: The open-top bus parade started from NCPA in Nariman Point and ended at Wankhede Stadium, taking one and a half hours due to the large crowd.