Virat Kohli was caught in a moment of mild embarrassment when a crowd at an event in Mumbai spontaneously began singing “Happy Birthday” to him, two days after his 36th birthday. The former India captain, who turned 36 on Tuesday, was attending an HSBC event when the crowd’s heartfelt gesture took him by surprise.
Kohli, who had just taken the stage amid a loud ovation, appeared shy as the anchor, Gaurav Kapoor, invited the audience to wish Kohli. The crowd responded with great enthusiasm, breaking into the classic birthday song. Kohli’s face lit up with a mix of surprise, gratitude, and a bit of bashfulness as he smiled and thanked the audience for their warm wishes before proceeding with the event.
While the spontaneous celebration caught him off guard, it was a memorable moment for Kohli, who had celebrated his birthday in a quieter, more relaxed manner with his family. Speaking about the day, Kohli described it as “the most chilled-out birthday” he’d had, spending time at home with his wife Anushka Sharma and their children. “It was very relaxed, and the birthday was basically for my daughter. Happens so when you have kids,” Kohli said.
Kohli also shared his thoughts on his 36th birthday, joking about getting “older for sure” but not necessarily wiser. On the professional front, Kohli is gearing up for a challenging season, with his next big assignment being the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, starting on November 22. The series is crucial for India’s chances, and all eyes will be on Kohli to replicate his stellar performances from previous tours, where he scored nearly 700 runs during the 2014-15 series.
Though Kohli did not feature in the upcoming T20 series against South Africa, he will be expected to play a key role in the Test series. His current Test record against Australia is impressive, with 2042 runs from 25 matches, including eight centuries. As this potentially marks his last Test tour Down Under, Kohli will be eager to build on his legacy.
