Watch: Virat Kohli meets Eknath Shinde in London

The Indian legend and former captain, Virat Kohli, on August 11, met the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, in London, as the video went viral on social media platforms. The iconic batter is currently on a break and will return in action for India’s upcoming ODI series against West Indies at home.

Kohli, who has already retired from T20I and Test cricket in 2025, keeps his entire focus on the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, which is going to be the last 50-over ICC event for the Delhi-born.

Inside Virat Kohli's meeting with Eknath Shinde in London — Full video

The superstar discussed the reports, infrastructure, and the government schemes, which were initiated by the state government during the meeting in London. After the event, CM Shinde described Kohli as a ‘down-to-earth’ human being.

Watch Kohli and CM Eknath Shinde's meeting here-

“Virat Kohli lives in London, and when he learned that I am here, he met me for a goodwill visit. I was delighted that such a big Indian cricketer, the one with the most centuries, is so down-to-earth. We had met before, but I was particularly happy with the direct conversation we had today. We also discussed the award I received.” Shinde revealed to ANI, as reported.

“I told him about various welfare schemes in Maharashtra. I spoke about infrastructure, and he himself remarked that the development Maharashtra has seen in recent years is unprecedented. I also shared our plans and the infrastructure projects currently underway, such as the ‘Third Mumbai’ development near the airport.” He revealed.

They also discussed the path to help the new generation excel in competitions and how to nurture their talent. Besides that, Kohli also shared some valuable ideas on the matters, which would benefit the state and the nation overall.

“We discussed all these matters, and I highlighted the work we are doing on infrastructure in Maharashtra. The state currently ranks number one in GDP, startups, infrastructure, and FDI. He was delighted to hear about the transformation and development taking place in Maharashtra, recognising the positive impact these initiatives will have on people's lives.” Shinde added.

“The award I received was also based on these very themes: infrastructure, development, the ‘Ladli Behna’ scheme and the ‘Government at Your Doorstep’ initiative. We discussed these topics, and he was very pleased. I, too, was happy to meet him.” The Maharashtra deputy CM concluded.

When will Virat Kohli return for India? Latest update

In 2026, Kohli has featured in six innings of the ODI format, where he has scored 384 runs at an average of 64 and a fine strike rate of 106, with a century and three fifties in his name. He was recently in action during the England series, when he celebrated two fifties in Cardiff and Lord’s.

Kohli, along with the success of the nation, is chasing his personal record of overtaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries as he stands at the second position on the list with 72 centuries across the three formats of the game.

He will return for India during the upcoming ODI series at home against West Indies, beginning on September 27, at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.