Virat Kohli welcomes 2026 with Anushka Sharma: "Stepping into 2026 with the light of my life"
India batting superstar Virat Kohli stepped into 2026 with a touching tribute to his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, sharing a stunning photograph on Instagram that captured the hearts of millions. The post, which went viral within minutes, showed the couple embracing the new year together, with Kohli captioning it: “Stepping into 2026 with the light of my life @anushkasharma.”
The romantic post received close to four million likes in less than an hour, as fans flooded the comments section with warm wishes and admiration for one of cricket’s most beloved couples. Kohli is currently spending quality time with his family before returning to competitive action with the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the ODI series against New Zealand.
Kohli 25 runs away from Sachin Tendulkar’s world record
As Kohli rings in the new year, he stands on the cusp of shattering yet another monumental record. The 37-year-old needs just 25 runs to reach 28,000 international runs and become the fastest cricketer ever to achieve the milestone, surpassing legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli currently has 27,975 international runs in 623 innings across all formats. If he reaches 28,000 runs in his next appearance, he will become only the third cricketer to achieve the feat, joining Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara.
Sachin Tendulkar reached 28,000 international runs in 644 innings, while Kumar Sangakkara took 666 innings. Kohli is on track to reach the landmark in 623 or 624 innings, making him the fastest by a significant margin.
Given his current form and the upcoming matches, it is widely expected that Kohli will reach the milestone during the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11 in Vadodara.
Stellar form in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Kohli has been in scintillating form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, smashing 131 and 77 in his first two matches for Delhi. In the process, he also became the fastest to 16,000 List A runs, reaching the milestone in his 330th innings and surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, who took 391 innings.
His performances in domestic cricket have underlined his hunger for runs and determination to continue performing at the highest level as India prepare for major assignments in 2026, including the ODI series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup starting in February.
India squad to assemble in Vadodara by January 8
According to a BCCI source, the Indian ODI squad for the New Zealand series is expected to assemble in Vadodara by January 8, with the possibility that Kohli might arrive a day earlier to train ahead of the series opener.
The three-match ODI series will be played in Vadodara (January 11), Rajkot (January 14), and Indore (January 18), as India continue their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.