Kohli and Kuldeep Seek Divine Blessings Before Crucial ODI Clash
Former India captain Virat Kohli and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav made a spiritual visit to the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Saturday. They offered prayers ahead of the series-deciding third ODI against New Zealand.
The players arrived at the temple to seek blessings before the crucial match. After completing their darshan, Kohli briefly greeted the devotees present. He said "Jai shree Mahakal" to acknowledge the gathering.
Kuldeep's Emotional Return to the Temple
Kuldeep Yadav shared his feelings about the temple visit with ANI. He expressed deep emotion about returning after nine years. "It was a very good experience," Kuldeep said. "It's been 9 years since I first had darshan here. It brings a lot of joy and bliss."
The spinner connected the spiritual moment with cricket aspirations. "By the grace of God, everything is good," he added. "If his grace remains, we will perform well in the World Cup."
Series Poised for Thrilling Finale
India and New Zealand will face each other in the third ODI at Holkar Cricket Stadium on January 18. The match will decide the three-match series winner.
The series stands level at 1-1 after dramatic contests. India won the first ODI in Vadodara by four wickets. New Zealand bounced back strongly in Rajkot. They secured a convincing seven-wicket victory to level the series.
KL Rahul played a standout innings for India in the second match. He scored an unbeaten 112 runs. However, Daryl Mitchell's brilliant 131 not out guided New Zealand to victory. Mitchell's innings proved decisive in chasing down the target.
Kohli's Milestone Achievement
Virat Kohli recently reclaimed the top position in ICC ODI batting rankings. He overtook former captain Rohit Sharma to become number one again.
Kohli achieved another significant landmark against New Zealand. He became India's highest run-scorer against the Kiwis in ODI cricket. Kohli has now scored 1,773 runs in 35 ODIs against New Zealand.
His impressive statistics include:
- Average of 55.4
- Six centuries
- Ten half-centuries
- Top score of 154
Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 1,750 runs. Tendulkar achieved his total in 42 matches against New Zealand. He maintained an average of 46.05 with five hundreds and eight fifties.
Despite his recent ranking achievement, Kohli scored only 23 runs off 29 balls in the second ODI. The team will look for a stronger performance from him in the series decider.
The temple visit reflects the players' preparation mindset. They combine spiritual grounding with professional focus before important matches. Indian cricket fans eagerly await the outcome of this evenly poised series.
