"He was very pleased": Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde meets Virat Kohli in London

Dubai: Virat Kohli doesn’t make many public appearances lately. However, in the recent video going viral on social media, the former Indian Cricket team captain was seen meeting with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in London.

The meeting comes as Kohli continues to split his time between India and London, where he lives with wife Anushka Sharma and their two children. The couple has made no secret of choosing London as a base to shield their family from the constant public attention they draw in India, opting for a quieter, more routine domestic life away from the cameras.

During the meeting with Shinde, the two discussed a range of subjects, including sports development and infrastructure as per ANI. In the video, Shinde honoured the former India captain with a shawl as the two posed for photos.

Shinde revealed in a statement that Kohli made a “goodwill visit” when he got to know that the Deputy CM was in London. He also described the cricketer “down-to-earth” while also discussing with him all the work that is being done in Maharashtra.

“He was very pleased. I, too, was happy to meet him,” Shinde said before ending his conversation with Kohli about the new generation. The Maharashtra Deputy CM is in London for an official two-day visit trip to receive international awards for public governance, pitch business and economic investments, and engage with the diaspora.

Kohli, one of the most recognisable faces in Indian cricket, has increasingly used his time in London to stay out of the spotlight between assignments, with sightings of him and Anushka on quiet walks around the city becoming more frequent in recent weeks.

On the field, Kohli's focus now shifts to his return to international cricket. He is expected to be back in action when India takes on West Indies in the first ODI on September 27, 2026.

It will be his first appearance in the format since India's ODI series against England on July 19, 2026, meaning Kohli will have gone over two months without playing an ODI heading into the West Indies series.