Virat Kohli, who recently announced his retirement from Test cricket, is currently spending time in the UK. On Monday, he was spotted at Wimbledon alongside his wife, actor Anushka Sharma. The couple made a surprise appearance at Centre Court during Novak Djokovic’s Round of 16 clash against Australia’s Alex de Minaur.
Fans were excited to spot Virat Kohli, one of cricket’s biggest stars enjoying the tennis action. Meanwhile, the couple’s courtside moment piqued the attention of both cricket and tennis fans on social media. Virat Kohli and his wife added charm and buzz to the iconic Wimbledon venue.
Novak Djokovic speaks highly of Virat Kohli after Wimbledon win
After securing a straight-sets victory over De Minaur, Djokovic had kind words for Virat Kohli during his post-match interaction. The tennis legend spoke warmly about the Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli and their mutual admiration for each other.
“Virat Kohli and I have been texting a little bit for a few years, and we never got the chance to meet in person, but it was really a privilege and an honour to listen to him speak nicely about me,” said Novak Djokovic.
From casually texting for a few years to Djokovic inviting Virat Kohli to Wimbledon — what a journey! pic.twitter.com/WFWFeNqIlR
— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) July 7, 2025
He continued, “I obviously admire all of his career and achievements and everything he has done.” Djokovic’s words reflected the respect he holds for Kohli, who has been a mainstay in international cricket for over a decade.
Kohli, too, seemed genuinely moved by the interaction. He took to Instagram to share a heartfelt story, which went viral in no time. The former Indian captain expressed his happiness at meeting the Tennis legend Novak Djokovic and witnessing the thrilling match.
The Serbian star bounced back after losing the first set to beat De Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in an exciting Round of 16 match on Centre Court.
The former Indian skipper, impressed by Djokovic’s fighting spirit, shared an Instagram story. The caption reads, “What a win! It was business as usual for the gladiator.” Djokovic replied with a short message on his own social media: “Thank you for supporting.”
Meanwhile, the Serbian-born Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, also made a light-hearted remark about cricket. “I started to play cricket. I’m not very good at it, but you know, obviously cricket being a very big sport in Australia and, of course, India… Let’s say that I’ll have a task to perfect my cricket skills before I get to India so that I don’t embarrass myself when I’m there.”
Kohli’s appearance comes just weeks after his emotional decision to step away from Test cricket. The 35-year-old retired from a glorious red-ball career in May 2025. It is worth noting that he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 53.02 in 123 Test matches. He finished his career in the fourth position on India’s all-time list behind the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
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While he has retired from both Test and T20 Internationals, he will continue to play the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. He has been one of the pillars of Team India in ODIs too, wherein he scored 14,181 runs from 302 matches, including 51 centuries and 74 fifties. His record speaks volumes about his consistency across formats, which is why he is labelled as the best all-format player in the world.
Kohli was a part of India’s victorious 2011 ODI World Cup campaign and played key roles in the 2013 and 2025 Champions Trophy wins. Most recently, he helped India lift the T20 World Cup in 2024 before bidding farewell to the shortest format.
Fans are eagerly waiting to see when the star batter will return to action. His comeback was expected during India’s tour of Bangladesh later this year, but the series has been called off.
“This decision has been reached following discussions between the two Boards, taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” the statement said, with the Bangladesh board adding that it hopes to welcome the Indian team next year.
