Virat Kohli’s pre-batting routine goes viral: Perfume, cream and … – WATCH | Cricket News

By Sandy Verma On Jan 13, 2026

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli continues to be in sublime form, doing what he does best — arriving at the crease, settling in quickly, unfurling his trademark cover and straight drives, and piling on the runs. In the first ODI of the three-match series, Kohli, who has already retired from T20Is and Tests, struck a fluent 93 off 91 deliveries as India chased down a target of 301 to seal a four-wicket victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.During the knock, Kohli achieved two significant milestones, becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs across formats and moving to second place on the list of highest run-scorers in international cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar.

A video shot by a fan during the match has since gone viral on social media, offering a glimpse into Kohli’s pre-batting routine. The footage shows Kohli padding up moments after Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, spraying perfume over himself, applying lotion on his hands, grabbing a quick bite, slipping on his gloves and immediately walking out to bat — all completed within seconds.Kohli looked well set for a record-extending 54th ODI century in the series opener on Sunday but fell seven runs short of the landmark when he was caught at mid-off for 93 by a towering New Zealand bowler.

How Virat Kohli gets ready before batting – WATCH

Having faced Kohli both as a rival and a teammate, New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson said he remains in awe of the Indian great’s batting, describing him as someone who operates at a completely different level.Jamieson, who has shared the Royal Challengers Bengaluru dressing room with Kohli in the IPL, admitted it is difficult to judge whether the Indian batter is currently at his peak.”It’s hard to say from an opposition point of view whether this is the best version of him or not — he’s been pretty good for a long time, right?,” Jamieson told the media after Sunday’s loss.The second ODI of the series will be played on Wednesday at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.