The IPL 2024 opener between CSK and RCB at Chepauk on March 22 marked Virat Kohli’s return to competitive cricket after an extended break.

Notably, the star batter was out of action since the home T20I series against Afghanistan in January. He opted out of the entire five-match Test series against England, citing personal reasons.

Later, Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma announced the birth of their second child, a baby boy named Akaay.

On Monday (March 25), Virat Kohli played a superb knock of 77 in 49 balls to script RCB’s four-wicket victory over PBKS at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

After his match-winning exploits, Kohli opened up on the two-month absence from cricket and from the country itself.

“We were not in the country. We were at a place where people were not recognising us. Just time together as a family, just to feel normal for two months,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“For me, for us as a family, it was a surreal experience. Of course, having two kids, things become totally different from a family perspective. So just the ability to be together, the connections that you make with your older child, it’s amazing.

“I mean, I couldn’t have been more grateful to God for the opportunity that I got to spend time with my family,” he added.

The 35-year-old also spoke about enjoying the rarity of not being treated like a celebrity and having his name shouted by fans and media.

“And yeah, just the place that we were in, I was telling the guys that when we came back, the voices back home felt that much louder,” Kohli said.

“I couldn’t look up because I was just not used to being called my name for two months. And then immediately you hear these loud noises and then you’re back in it all again.

“But it was beautiful. It’s an amazing experience to just be another person on the road and not be recognised and just carry on about life that normally people would on a daily basis,” he further remarked.

Virat Kohli will be next seen in action during RCB’s match against KKR at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday (March 29).