"Little king has arrived" - Fans erupt as Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma welcome baby boy Akaay

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma welcomed a baby boy Akaay as their second child on Thursday, February 15. The development puts all rumors to death as to why Kohli skipped the ongoing five-match Test series against England.

For the unversed, Kohli and Anushka tied the knot on December 11, 2017, after dating for a few years. They welcomed their first child Vamika on January 11, 2021.

Kohli and Anushka shared an Instagram post to share the good news. In a combined statement, they wrote:

“With abundant happiness and our hearts full of love, we are pleased to inform everyone that on 15th February, we welcomed our baby boy Akaay & Vamika’s little brother into this world!”

“We seek your blessings and good wishes in this beautiful time in our lives. We request you to kindly respect our privacy at this time," the statement added.

Fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) congratulated Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma on their newborn baby. One user wrote:

"Little king has arrived."

Here are some more reactions:

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“His private life has to come first” – When Nasser Hussain backed Virat Kohli’s decision to skip Test series against England

Former England captain Nasser Hussain recently backed Virat Kohli’s decision to skip the Test series against the Ben Stokes-led side. The 55-year-old said on Sky Sports:

"His family and his private life has to come first. Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batters to ever play the game and any series, and any side would miss someone of that stature.”

He added:

“First things first, the game needs to look after the likes of Virat Kohli as well. He’s been playing international cricket for more than 15 years now, and if he needs a break to be away with family, just some time away from the game, absolutely we wish Virat Kohli all the best."

In a recent statement regarding Kohli's absence for the last three Tests after he missed out on the first two games, the BCCI said:

"Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons. The Board fully respects and supports Mr. Kohli’s decision."

Despite Kohli's absence, India are leading the Test series 2-1 against England after the first three games. The two teams will play in the upcoming fourth Test at JSCA Stadium in Ranchi from February 23.

Meanwhile, Kohli will next be in action for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.