Virat Kohli’s hilarious gesture with Daryl Mitchell goes viral after losing world no.1 ranking

Virat Kohli had clearly reached his limit with Daryl Mitchell; The New Zealand batsman once again riled the Indian bowling attack with an impressive knock of 137 off just 131 balls in the third ODI of the three-match series played at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday (January 18).

Mitchell came into the field at a time when the visitors were struggling with a 5-2 scoreline and played a key role in the Black Caps’ stunning total of 337 in the series decider, giving his team the chance to make history by winning an ODI series on Indian soil for the first time.

This performance also means that Kohli will lose his position as the world’s number one ODI batsman in the final rankings that the ICC will announce on Wednesday, January 21. The 37-year-old regained top spot after four weeks last week, but Mitchell left him just one point behind.

Since then, Kohli scored just 23 runs in the second ODI while Mitchell contributed an unbeaten 131. While the 34-year-old player produced another important score today, it seems almost impossible for Kohli to retain his title even if he puts in an excellent performance.

After Mitchell’s long innings was over and Mohammed Siraj dismissed him, Kohli was seen near the boundary as the New Zealand star headed back to the dressing room. The Indian cricket icon was clearly impressed with Mitchell’s performance and was seen applauding him. The 37-year-old, in his usual witty manner, jokingly nudged Mitchell outside the boundary line. This joyful post quickly went viral on social media.

Friendly banter between Kohli and Daryl Mitchell

Kohli literally carries Mitchell off the field and says, “Come out, you’ve scored a lot of goals.” pic.twitter.com/sOSh2NpKdM

— (@justKohlitweetz) January 18, 2026

Mitchell broke many records, finishing the series with a total of 352 runs at an average of 176 runs in three matches, including two centuries and a half-century. He made an unbeaten score of 131 in the second ODI, which helped the Black Caps to a seven-wicket victory and level the series.

Also read| Daryl Mitchell creates history, becomes first player to score fourth ODI century against India