Virat Kohli faced an overwhelming crowd when he arrived in Vadodara on Wednesday, January 7. You could see fans surrounding him as he reached the city ahead of the three match ODI series against New Zealand.
Fans flood Vadodara airport
A large number of fans gathered at Vadodara airport to catch a glimpse of Kohli. You could hear them shouting his name, clicking selfies, and recording videos as he stepped out.
Security steps in
As the crowd swelled, security personnel had to intervene. Their priority was clear. Ensure Kohli reached his car safely without any incident amid the growing rush of fans.
Travel after New Year celebrations
Kohli had returned to Mumbai after celebrating New Year 2026 in Dubai with his family and close friends. From there, you saw him travel to Vadodara to join the Indian squad.
A familiar ODI venue
Vadodara holds a small but notable place in Kohli’s ODI career. He last played an ODI here in 2010, which also came against New Zealand, adding a sense of familiarity to this series opener.
Full series schedule
The ODI series will be played across three venues. Vadodara hosts the first match on January 11, followed by Saurashtra on January 14, and Indore on January 18.
Kohli enters in strong form
You will see Kohli enter the series with confidence. He ended last year with a half century in Australia and followed it with two hundreds and a fifty against South Africa at home.
Domestic form boosts confidence
Kohli also impressed in domestic cricket. Playing for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored a hundred and a fifty, showing his comfort in the one day format.
Fan frenzy reflects expectations
With Kohli now focusing mainly on ODIs, expectations are high. The scenes in Vadodara made one thing clear. You are watching a player whose presence alone lifts excitement around India’s ODI series.
