'Abhi to Thik Hai': Virat Kohli Responds to Premanand Ji Maharaj on His Happiness

A day after confirming his retirement from Test cricket, India cricket great Virat Kohli met Vrindavan with his wife Anushka Sharma on Tuesday.

The duo had a spiritual engagement (Ekantik Vartalaap) with Premanand Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram, Varah Ghat.

On their trip to Vrindavan, Virat and Anushka met Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj and took his blessings. This was their second trip to Vrindavan this year, as they had also visited Vrindavan in January to take the blessings of Premanand Ji Maharaj with their kids.

When they reached the ashram, the couple welcomed Maharaj Ji, who asked, "Prasanna ho? (Are you happy?)" Virat replied, "Ji, abhi thik hain (Yes, I'm okay)." Maharaj Ji then replied softly, "You should stay well."

Maharaj Ji gave the couple valuable spiritual guidance, saying, "Ye vaibhav milna kripa nahi hai ye punya hai. Bhagwan ki kripa maani jati hai andar ka chintan badalna. Bilkul aise hi rahi jaise reh rahe ho bilkul sannsarik ban kar raho, lekin andar ka chintan apka badal jaye, usme yash ki bhavna na reh jaye. Andar ka chintan ye rahna achaiye ki 'Prabhu bhot janm vyateet ho gaya ab mujhe aap chahiye'." (This prosperity is not grace at all — it is the result of virtue (punya). It is the movement of the soul toward the Divine. What is important is that you change your inner contemplation. Live just like you are doing now, fully immersed in the world, but change your inner thought pattern. Have no thought of fame or recognition within. Your inner thought should be: 'Lord, enough of all worldly experience, now, I seek only You'). Anushka seemed clearly touched by the spiritual guidance.

The couple has often been spotted going to different temples in the past. In 2023, they went to the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, and previously, they went on a spiritual pilgrimage to Neem Karoli Baba's ashram in Kainchi Dham, Uttarakhand.

On Monday, Kohli posted on Instagram that he was ending his glorious 14-year-long Test career, having scored 9,230 runs in 123 matches, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties.

Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket followed reports that he had informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his decision ahead of next month's five-match Test series against England.

Making his Test debut in 2011, Virat Kohli was central to India's return to form in red-ball cricket in the last decade. His energetic leadership, run-spree batting, and unparalleled aggression were instrumental in making India a powerhouse in Test cricket at home and abroad.

He retired as the fourth-most successful Test captain with 40 wins, behind Graeme Smith (53 wins), Ricky Ponting (48 wins), and Steve Waugh (41 wins). Kohli’s tally of 30 Test centuries places him as the fourth-highest among Indian batters, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51 centuries), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34). Kohli also has the record for the highest number of Test double centuries by an Indian, with seven, and the highest number of Test hundreds by an Indian captain, with 20 centuries, well ahead of Gavaskar's 11.

Previously, Kohli had declared his retirement from T20Is after India's T20 World Cup win in 2022. Kohli will now concentrate exclusively on ODIs for India at the age of 36.