Punjab Newsline,Sports :
Offer prayers at Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain ahead of the series-deciding ODI against New Zealand
Former India captain and batting stalwart Virat Kohli visited the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Saturday along with spinner Kuldeep Yadav and fielding coach T Dilip. The trio offered prayers to Lord Shiva and participated in the sacred Bhasma Aarti held in the early hours of the day. On the occasion, Virat Kohli was also felicitated by the Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee.
Sharing his experience after attending the Bhasma Aarti, Kuldeep Yadav said that visiting Lord Mahakal is always a peaceful and uplifting experience. He added that everything is going well by the grace of God and expressed hope that Lord Mahakal continues to bless everyone and bring positivity into their lives. Kuldeep described the visit as a very memorable and spiritually enriching moment.
A day earlier, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul had also visited the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple to seek blessings. Along with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, Gambhir and Rahul attended the 4:00 AM Bhasma Aarti. Several members of the Indian team have been visiting the temple to draw spiritual strength and positive energy ahead of the crucial final match of the series.
Team India is set to take on New Zealand in the third and decisive ODI at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday. The three-match series is currently level at 1-1 after New Zealand bounced back strongly in the second ODI, preventing India from taking an unassailable lead.
India had registered a thrilling four-wicket victory in the series opener at Vadodara, entering the second ODI with strong momentum. However, in the match played at Rajkot, the visitors produced a dominant performance and defeated India by seven wickets under the leadership of Michael Bracewell.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli recently reclaimed the top position in the ICC ODI batting rankings, overtaking former India captain Rohit Sharma. Although Kohli managed only 23 runs in his first appearance after regaining the number-one ranking, he still etched his name in the record books. He became India’s highest run-scorer against New Zealand in ODI cricket.
Across 35 ODIs against the Kiwis, Kohli has amassed 1,773 runs at an impressive average of 55.4, including six centuries and ten half-centuries. In the process, he surpassed legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who had scored 1,750 runs in 42 matches at an average of 46.05 against New Zealand.