Team India star Virat Kohli was met with a roaring reception from fans as he made his way to an optional training session ahead of the series opener against Australia in Perth. India will face the hosts at Perth Stadium in the first ODI of the three-match series on Sunday, October 19.
Amid loud cheers, Kohli walked towards the stands and interacted with supporters, signing posters and jerseys. The iconic batter is set to play his first game for India since featuring in the 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand in March.
Here’s a clip of Kohli being welcomed with huge applause from the fans before his optional practice session in Perth (Via IANS X handle):
Watch: Cricketer Virat Kohli arrives for an optional practice session in Perth pic.twitter.com/evVLCAe7cs
— IANS (@ians_india) October 18, 2025
There has been considerable discussion surrounding Kohli’s future in international cricket, as he currently features only in ODIs for India. However, the 36-year-old showcased outstanding form during his last appearance in national colors at the Champions Trophy.
He amassed 218 runs across five innings at an average exceeding 54, and was India’s top scorer in the semifinal against Australia, playing a crucial knock of 84 off 98 deliveries.
Virat Kohli has an impressive track record in ODIs played in Australia
Virat Kohli has long been a dominant force in ODIs in Australia, maintaining an outstanding average of 51.03 across 29 matches. The legendary batsman has racked up 1,327 runs on Australian soil, including five centuries and six fifties. Kohli made his ODI debut in Australia during the 2012 tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, where his unbeaten 133 off 86 balls in Hobart remains one of India’s finest individual performances.
He also notched a memorable century against Pakistan in the 2015 ODI World Cup in Melbourne. In 2016, Kohli scored consecutive hundreds against Australia in Melbourne and Canberra during a bilateral series. His most recent ODI century in Australia came in Adelaide during the 2019 bilateral series against the hosts. Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, Kohli has not featured in an ODI in Australia.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.