Virat Kohli and Kumar Dharmasena [Source: @CricCrazyJohns, @mufaddal_vohra/x]
A prestigious Test jersey of Virat Kohli has found a home in a museum in Sri Lanka. Signed by the maestro himself, for former Sri Lanka cricketer and veteran umpire Kumar Dharmasena, the memorabilia now stand as a symbol of respect and cricketing camaraderie between the two neighbouring nations.
As admitted by Dharmasena himself earlier this year, the 54-year-old revealed that he received the jersey after asking the cricketer just once for the same.
A Gift For Dharmasena, A Beacon Of Unity For India-SL
As confirmed by Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup winner and legendary ICC umpire Kumar Dharmasena, he asked India’s modern-day batting behemoth Virat Kohli for his Test jersey. Kohli readily obliged, even inscribing his signature on it, turning a simple gesture into a treasured keepsake for the legendary Sri Lankan.
Apart from signing the jersey, the former Indian captain also wrote:
“To Kumar, with best wishes.”
As it turned out, Dharmasena’s gift from Virat Kohli has now turned out to be a symbol of mutual admiration between the two neighbouring nations, as the memorabilia has now found a new home at the Pintanna museum in Ayagama, Sri Lanka.
When Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket a few months ago, Kumar Dharmasena congratulated the Indian great for his passion towards the five-day format.
It is worth noting that Kohli’s playing career and Dharmasena’s officiating journey has largely overlapped with each other. Dharmasena even claimed that Kohli’s dedication towards Tests remains “unmatched”, and he expressed his pleasure in officiating in Test matches involving the legendary Indian batter throughout the latter’s 123-match career.