World Cup 2023, IND vs AFG: Kohli's awkward moment at Arun Jaitley Stadium

Virat Kohli returns to his home ground Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Feroz Shah Kotla, after 4 years. He has scored 222 runs at an average of 44.40, including a century, in New Delhi.

With India set to play their second ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan, the Virat Kohli fans will once again come in numbers to support modern-day great at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Ahead of the India vs Afghanistan match, Kohli is returning to his home ground for an ODI game after four years, and the star India batter expressed his nostalgia playing at his home ground where everything started. Check India vs Afghanistan live score and match updates here

 

The Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Feroz Shah Kotla, holds special significance in Virat Kohli's cricketing career. It is where a teenage boy's journey to represent India began, with selectors first noticing his talent and giving him an opportunity. And come Wednesday, Kohli will once again return to his home ground with over 25000 international runs, including 13168 in 50-over cricket.

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"Of course, for me, that's the stadium where I have grown up playing my Age-group cricket, Ranji Trophy and then played for India as well."

Virat Kohli has played 7 matches at Arun Jaitley Stadium so far and scored 222 runs at an average of 44.40. He has scored a century at his home ground that came against England 12 years ago. 

Virat Kohli runs at Arun Jaitley Stadium
Matches	Runs	Average	Highest score	Hundreds	Catches
7	222	44.40	112 not out	1	5

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"The memory is always fresh in your mind. When you return to those moments, you still feel it because that is where everything started. That is where the selectors saw you for the first time, and you got an opportunity.

"So, it's always special to go back and play at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. We practised at the B grounds, and the Ranji teams practised on the main ground. So, very special place, very special memories."

And when Kohli once again returns to the then-Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, he will play in a stadium that has a pavilion named after him. 

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But a modest Kohli felt very awkward about it.

"It's a bit awkward for me to be still playing and in front of a pavilion named after me. Honestly, I don't like to talk about it a lot, but it's a great honour that I never felt would happen in my career, and I feel grateful when I go back and see all the things that are present now and from where I started," Kohli added.