Virat Kohli’s privacy invaded in London? The English star recalls a bizarre incident in a cafe

Virat Kohli’s attempt to enjoy a quiet afternoon in London with Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate Jordan Cox ended up highlighting the challenges of life outside the limelight, with the England batsman revealing that the former India captain was unwittingly photographed during their private meeting.

Speaking to The Guardian, Cox recalled meeting Kohli in a London cafe on the eve of his Test debut against New Zealand at The Oval last month. The conversation revolved around cricket, nerves and Kohli’s own experiences before his India debut in 2011.

Cox admitted he was worried about a lack of nerves ahead of the biggest match of his career, but Kohli reassured him that he was in a much better state of mind than his own ahead of his first Test.

However, what was supposed to be a hush-hush catch-up between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammates quickly went public after photos of the encounter surfaced online.

“What’s upsetting for him is that people are watching him without him knowing,” Cox told The Guardian.

“Hundreds of people walked past us, nobody stopped, nobody did anything. But then after about two hours he texts me: ‘Did you see all those photos?’ I was like, “What the hell?” Screengrab by X

“It’s just a shame how many people want a piece of him. He just wants to go under the radar, have fun and live a normal life. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible.”

The incident offers a glimpse into Kohli’s life outside cricket. Over the past two years, the former India captain spent most of his time in London with wife Anushka Sharma and their children, traveling back to India only for international assignments, IPL and business commitments. Since retiring from Test cricket earlier this year after already leaving the T20Is, Kohli has largely kept a low public profile, although his performances in England continue to attract significant attention.

The 37-year-old is now ready to return to international action India’s three-match ODI series against Englandfrom next week. After completing his rehabilitation from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Afghanistan series, Kohli has been preparing in Mumbai before flying to England where India will play Birmingham, Cardiff and Lord’s. This series is expected to be one of his key tasks as he builds towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.

While the photos sparked debate on social media, Cox said his biggest takeaway from spending time with Kohli during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning IPL campaign was the Indian great’s willingness to mentor younger players.

“The thing I found most special during the IPL is how much time he gave me as players and for someone who has achieved so much, how much he generally gives back,” Cox said.

“Some guys focus on their own game, but he’s someone who always wants to help others before helping himself. That’s very rare.”

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

11 Jul 2026 12:46 IST