'It's A Bit...': Virat Kohli On Playing In Front of His Namesake Pavilion In Delhi
Virat Kohli will be playing against Afghanistan at his home ground in Delhi
Every cricketer has a sacred ground, a place where dreams take root and aspirations shoot skyward. For the beating heart of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, that venue is none other than the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Virat Kohli returns to home ground for World Cup match vs Afghanistan
As India gears up for its second World Cup 2023 clash against Afghanistan, Kohli isn’t just facing another side; he's walking the corridors of time, reliving memories of this iconic venue where it all began for the batting maestro.
The threads that bind Kohli to the Arun Jaitley Stadium are both old and new. A significant part of his early cricketing journey was shaped here, where his raw talent caught the eyes of selectors, setting him on a path to stardom. Today, as a tribute to his significant contributions to the sport, a pavilion at the stadium proudly bears his name.
During a heartfelt chat with KL Rahul, a video of which was posted by the BCCI, Kohli dived into the emotions of coming home.
"It's a homecoming for you, we are going to Delhi. I'm sure it's a very special feeling for you, you have grown up there and now you have a pavilion named after you so what's the feeling that you are going through?" asked Rahul.
Kohli said that playing in the shadow of a pavillion that celebrates his achievements feels both humbling and surreal.
While the honour brings a sense of pride, he admitted to feeling a touch of awkwardness at such colossal recognition. Yet, above all, for Kohli, there's an overwhelming sense of gratitude, a reflection on a journey that began with a young boy's dreams and culminated in international acclaim.
"The memories are always fresh in your mind when you go back into those moments, you can still feel it because that is where everything started, that is where the selectors saw you for the first time and you got an opportunity. So it's always special to go back and play at the Arun Jaitley Stadium now. It's a bit awkward for me, playing in front of the pavilion named after me. Honestly, I don't like to talk about it a lot because it is a very awkward feeling but I just feel very grateful when I go back and see all the things that are present now and from where I started," said Kohli.
This World Cup match is not just a clash between teams for Kohli; it's a touching reunion with his past. As the game unfolds, the Indian stalwart will be tracing the footprints of a journey that began right here.
.jpg)
 "Jatin")
