Recently, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, accompanied by their children Vamika and Akaay, visited Shri Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. Videos of their visit have gone viral on social media. This visit follows the end of India's cricket series in Australia, which they lost 3-1.
In the viral video, Kohli and Anushka are seen bowing and interacting with Premanand Ji Maharaj. Anushka is seen seeking "devotion of love" from the saint, mentioning that she often listens to his spiritual discourses. Kohli is seen holding Akaay and attentively listening to the conversation. This marks the first public appearance of their son, Akaay, since his birth in February 2024.
Anushka stated that she had questions in her heart during her last visit and wanted Premanand Maharaj's blessings. She said that when she was thinking about visiting, she was talking to him in her mind. The next day, she would open ‘Kanti Vartalap’ and those questions would be asked by someone. She concluded by asking him to give them "prem-bhakti".
Premanand Maharaj praised the couple's devotion, especially Anushka's faith, for keeping Virat on the path of humility despite his success. He acknowledged that devoting oneself to God after achieving such fame is difficult. He also said that Anushka's devotion towards God would impact Kohli. When Premanand Maharaj asked Kohli if he was happy, the cricketer nodded with a smile.
This is not the first time the couple has visited Premanand Maharaj; they previously visited him in January 2023. They also visited the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Kainchi Dham a few years ago. Both Virat and Anushka are dedicated followers of Lord Krishna and have been spotted numerous times during prayers and events related to the Hindu God.
Kohli's visit to Vrindavan comes after a poor performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Tests against Australia, where he only managed 190 runs in nine innings, despite scoring a century in the opening match. Following the series loss and his struggle with form, questions have been raised about his Test cricket future.
With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 approaching, this break is likely to refresh Kohli before India takes the field in Dubai next month. The India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is expected to be announced soon.
