Watch: Heartwarming gesture as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli delight Pakistani fan in Perth

Dubai: A Pakistan fan had a memorable moment when he received autographs from Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The Indian team arrived in Perth early Thursday for the eagerly awaited ODI series against Australia. Outside the team’s hotel, Rohit and Kohli took time to engage with enthusiastic fans.

As the Indian squad settled in, a crowd gathered outside, hoping for a glimpse of their favourite players. Among them was Sahil, a young supporter from Karachi, Pakistan, who was especially excited to meet Rohit, having already met Kohli before.

Despite the recent controversies involving the two nations, Kohli didn’t hesitate when Sahil asked for his autograph. In a video shared by RevSportz, the fan patiently waited outside the hotel until Kohli emerged, signing the Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey Sahil held.

Although Kohli appeared to be heading for an optional training session, he paused, set down his kit bag, and kindly signed the jersey. But the surprise didn’t end there — Rohit Sharma, who was seated inside the team bus, stepped out after Sahil signalled him, and also signed the jersey.

“It was wonderful meeting Kohli again. He is very humble and only needed a simple request,” Sahil said. “I just signalled Rohit for an autograph, and despite being on the bus, he came out to sign — that meant a lot.”

Kohli, Rohit, and other key players, including the newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill, were among the first group to arrive in Perth for the three-match ODI series starting October 19 at Optus Stadium. Players like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, along with support staff, were part of this initial batch.

This heartwarming gesture was a positive sign of goodwill, especially following the recent controversies during the Asia Cup.