Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of the main architects of Team India’s T20 World Cup 2024 title win, had too much fun on the flight from Barbados to Delhi. More such stories were revealed by journalist Vimal Kumar, who was also on the flight with the Indian contingent.

India defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados on June 29. This ended India’s 11-year wait for the ICC trophy. It was a moment that the entire cricket-crazed nation of India had anticipated for over a decade. They have come agonizingly close to reaching the knockout stages of nearly every ICC tournament between 2014 and 2023, with the previous year's World Cup ending in one of India's most humiliating exits.

BCCI had to charter a flight from Barbados to Delhi after hurricane Beryl delayed India’s flight by 3 days. The flight back home consisted of an entire Indian contingent, officials, Indian journalists, and also broadcast employees.  

Details from the flight have been shared in the media with coach Rahul Dravid giving up his business class seat to sleep in economy.

But now journalist Vimal Kumar revealed how Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma teased him during the flight. Vimal Kumar also revealed how Kohli told him he had changed and kept a secret from Suryakumar Yadav.

"The entire flight back was like a party. When I was entering the flight, Rohit said jokingly 'Don't get started with your camera’. Then I heard a voice from behind 'Yes, he goes everywhere with his camera'. I turned around and saw it was Virat Kohli. Kohli was in black. Both openers started teasing me, so Virat said 'We are openers; we will hit from the first ball'. Then Virat and I shared a joke which I can't disclose since it is personal. That was related to a third person whom I can't name. So we all started laughing. Surya was behind; when he came asking what the joke was about, I and Virat kept it a secret from him," he shared on the 'Two Sloggers' podcast.

Vimal Kumar also revealed that nobody slept, not even for a moment. For more than an hour, the gamers had a great time standing near the restroom rather than sitting. Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja were laughing and shouting at the top of their lungs, he added.

He further said that Kohli had a lengthy conversation with him.

Memories of their past flashed before the reporter's eyes, but he knew deep down that, despite his popularity, legendary reputation, and everything Kohli has accomplished, he is still the same person he was sixteen years ago.

Kohli, however, playfully disagreed. "What are you talking about? How have I not changed? Just look at my beard – it's gone all grey," he joked.