Virat Kohli mania grips Kerala as India star arrives ahead of West Indies ODIs
Star India batter Virat Kohli arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, September 23, to join the Indian team ahead of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, with fans turning up at the airport to catch a glimpse of the former captain.
Kohli, who is based in London with his family, landed at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport before being escorted through the terminal by security personnel. He then left for the team hotel, where he received a traditional welcome from the staff.The King has checked inVirat Kohli is ready for another ODI chapterWatch him in action, #INDvWI, 1st ODI SUN, 27th SEP, 1 PM pic.twitter.com/cpz2uTrAoO— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 23, 2026
India will begin their ODI series against the West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium on September 27. The three-match series is part of India's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The excitement around the series has already translated into strong ticket demand. More than 35,000 public tickets for the Thiruvananthapuram ODI were sold within 24 hours of going on sale, according to Kerala Kaumudi. Virat Kohli arrived at Team Hotel Thiruvananthapuram. pic.twitter.com/UUbSWbisoU— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) September 23, 2026
The return of Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the ODI side has been a major factor behind the interest in the series. Both players were part of India's limited-overs tour of England in June-July and are now set to feature in the team's next ODI assignment.KOHLI, ROHIT RETURN
Kohli and Rohit remain central figures in India's ODI plans despite continued discussion around their long-term future in the format.
Both players retired from Test cricket last year, but continued playing ODIs. Their place in India's plans for the 2027 World Cup has remained a subject of discussion, particularly with the selectors also looking at younger options.
Reports ahead of India's ODI against England at Lord's earlier this year suggested that the selection committee was considering moving towards Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI setup. However, Kohli and Rohit were retained for the current West Indies series.
India will play the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, followed by matches in Guwahati on September 30 and Mullanpur on October 3. The ODI series will be followed by five T20Is.HOLDER PRAISES KOHLI
West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder has already spoken highly of Kohli ahead of the series, describing him as one of the best players to have played the game. "When you look at Virat, he is arguably the best player, the best one-day batsman to ever play the game, and one of the best batters to ever play the game," Holder told JioStar.
Kohli's experience will be particularly valuable for an Indian side preparing for the 2027 World Cup, with Gill leading the team in the 50-over format.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir also highlighted the value of having Kohli and Rohit around Gill. "In ODIs, he (Gill) is very fortunate that he has got the likes of Rohit and Virat to help him on and off the field," Gambhir said.
Gambhir acknowledged that making selection calls involving established Indian players is difficult, particularly for a young captain. "Leaving out anyone in Indian cricket from the playing eleven is always going to be tough. But when you have to do that as a young captain, it is probably the toughest job for any coach and captain to do it. So far, he has done that. He has actually ticked all the boxes," he said.
Gill has had a difficult run in ODI cricket in recent series against England, Australia and New Zealand, but Gambhir backed him to turn things around.
"I feel that he has done all the right things... he has had a bit of a tough time in One Day cricket. But I am sure, I think things will turn around because he has done all the right things," Gambhir added.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 23, 2026 20:48 IST
