Virat Kohli opens up on the "Virushka" nickname with Anushka

Everyone knows the popularity of the tagline ‘Virushka’ around the world. And ahead of the first ODI of the three-match series between India and West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Virat Kohli has opened up about the craze for the popular nickname, which combines him and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.

Kohli returns to action for the Indian side against the West Indies after the three-match series against England in the United Kingdom, when he celebrated two successive half-centuries at Edgbaston and Lord’s. He hopes to continue the same success with the bat to prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli opened up on how he feels about the "Virushka" tag fans have used

During a candid interaction with the former Indian opening batter, Abhinav Mukund, Kohli recalled how the ‘Virushka’ term became renowned and eventually inspired the trend of combining names of famous personalities and other cricket stars.

Watch Virat Kohli talking about Virushka-

“Virushka is special in a very different way. That was actually the first thing that became popular in terms of, you know, clubbing names. After that, ‘Mahirat’ came about, like, ‘They have a bromance going on,’ you know? So they brought it from romance into bromance.” Kohli expressed during the interaction.

Kohli’s comments have highlighted how the relationship, which originated from the nickname with Anushka, went viral and became one of the most recognizable celebrity couples in India. He also explained how the fans moved on and created the new term, ‘Mahirat ’, with the former captain, MS Dhoni.

The popularity of ‘Virushka’ around the world

Kohli’s comments have offered a fine reflection of how the fan culture has created memorable nicknames around the team. From the ‘Virushka’ term to ‘MahiRat’ to ‘Ro-Ko’, the combinations have become a strong part of the conversations around the world, along with benefiting the broadcasters.

A major reason for the couple’s global appeal is the combination of sports and entertainment. The marriage brought the two massive Indian entertainment audiences, giving ‘Virushka’ visibility well before the cricket coverage.

The public appearances have also attracted attention from the fans. During the 2025 Champions Trophy, when the Indian side went on to win, Kohli ran towards the stands to embrace Anushka after they won the title, as the footage of the moment circulated online.