Watch: Virat, Anushka visit Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple ahead of 4th Test match
Cricketer Virat Kohli and his betterhalf Anushka Sharma visited the prominent Mahakaleshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on the early morning of March 4. The couple was seen sitting in the temple seeking blessing from lord Shiva.
The former skipper took blessings of lord Shiva ahead of the fourth Test match against Australia.
Anushka and Virat also participated in the 'Bhasma Aarti' on the occasion. Bhasma aarti (offering with ashes) is a famous ritual here and is performed during the Brahma Muhurta between 4 and 5:30 in the morning.
Watch here.
#WATCH | Actor Anushka Sharma & Cricketer Virat Kohli offered prayers to Lord Shiva at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh today morning pic.twitter.com/FBq3KsrNU2
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) March 4, 2023
After that the couple reached the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and performed Jalabhishek.
Virat could be seen wearing a dhoti and Anushka opted for a light peach-coloured saree, following the guidelines for performing the puja.
After worship consecration, they spent sometime in the temple premises. Earlier, Virat and Anushka had embarked on a spiritual trip to Rishikesh.
The couple paid a visit to Swami Dayanand Giri Ashram. Several pictures went viral in which Anushka and Virat can be seen seen praying at the ashram. Their visit to Rishikesh came days after the duo along with their daughter Vamika sought blessings at an ashram in Vrindavan.
Meanwhile, in the third Test, Australia made a strong comeback in the series beating India by 9 wickets at the Holkar Stadium on Friday to reduce the four-Test series deficit to 1-2. With this win, the Australians have also qualified for the World Test Championship final.
Virat has been a pillar of India's home domination ever since he hit the international cricket scene in 2008. In 200 matches at home so far, he has scored 10,829 runs in 221 innings at an average of 58.22. He has scored 34 centuries and 51 half-centuries at home, with the best score of 254*.However, Virat looked in complete control during his short innings of 44 and 20 runs in both innings of the second Test in Delhi and Team India would hope that their biggest batting star will end his three-year-long drought of big runs, which will also boost India's chances to qualify for ICC World Test Championship finals, to be played in London from June 7 onwards.
India will take on Australia in the fourth and final Test on March 9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Anushka, on the other hand, she will be seen essaying the role of the iconic Indian pace bowler Jhulan Goswami in the much-talked-about film 'Chakda Xpress'. The final release date of the film is still awaited. The 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' actor will be portraying the role of a cricketer for the first time in her career. Anushka's brother Karnesh Sharma will be producing 'Chakda Xpress' with his home production company Clean Slate Filmz.
First published: 4 March 2023, 13:11 IST