Representatives for Virat Kohli have formally dismissed allegations that the former Indian cricket captain received Rs 5 crore to visit the Vrindavan ashram of spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj. The claims were initially raised by Dinesh Sharma, also known as Falahari Maharaj, who serves as the president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas.
In a statement addressing the matter, a spokesperson for Kohli described the allegations as "completely false, baseless and factually incorrect." The representative further clarified that the cricketer’s visits to the ashram are driven entirely by personal faith and deep reverence for the spiritual leader. There is no evidence, such as contracts or financial records, to support the claim that any payment was involved.
Kohli and his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, have visited Premanand Maharaj on several occasions, with their first reported trip to the ashram occurring in January 2023. The couple has returned to the site multiple times since that initial visit.
On the field, Kohli recently participated in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies. He opened the series with an unbeaten 139 in Thiruvananthapuram, a performance that saw him surpass 15,000 career ODI runs, joining Sachin Tendulkar as the only other batter to achieve the milestone. Despite a strong start, he recorded scores of 29 and zero in the subsequent matches, finishing the series with a total of 168 runs. India secured victories in the first two games but fell to a five-wicket defeat in the final match held in New Chandigarh.
Looking ahead, Kohli is expected to feature in India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand, which begins in Auckland on November 4. The tour schedule includes five ODIs, five T20Is, and two Test matches. Having retired from T20I and Test cricket, Kohli is currently prioritizing the 50-over format, with the 2027 ODI World Cup identified as his final appearance in the tournament for India.
