4 Bollywood actors who called Virat Kohli their favorite cricketer ft. Nana Patekar

Since making his debut in 2008, Virat Kohli has established himself as one of the greatest cricketers to play the game. The Delhi-born cricketer was part of India’s victorious squads in the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

At 36 years old, Kohli is the second-highest run-scorer for India in ODIs, having accumulated 13,906 runs in 295 matches at an average of 58.18, which includes 72 fifties and a record 50 centuries. In Tests, he ranks fourth among India's all-time run-scorers, with 9,224 runs in 123 games at an average of 47.06, including 31 fifties and 30 centuries.

He retired as the second-highest run-scorer for India in T20Is, with 4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69, including 38 fifties and one century.

Beyond his impressive numbers, Kohli is one of the most celebrated cricketers of his generation, winning the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. He has also earned admiration from some of Bollywood's biggest stars. Over the years, numerous actors have expressed their respect for Kohli, praising his aggressive playing style, commitment, and consistent performances on the field.

With that in mind, here’s a look at some Bollywood stars who have openly named Virat Kohli as their favorite cricketer.

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#1 Nana Patekar

Renowned Bollywood veteran Nana Patekar recently named Virat Kohli as his favorite cricketer. During a conversation on TV9 Hindi News on YouTube, the 74-year-old actor shared that he refrained from eating whenever the Delhi-born cricketer didn't perform well with the bat. Nana said:

“In the midst of the interview, we are used to watching the score. He [Virat Kohli] scored a century yesterday that is not in my mind today, you [he] were supposed to hit it [owing to his consistency]. What will you do today?

“Virat is my favorite player. If he gets out early, you don’t know, I don’t like to eat [food]. I am that much interested in cricket. Our exams are the same, their game [cricketers] ends in five days, ours [Bollywood actors] lasts up to 1.5-2 years, whose result public decides.”

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#2 Suniel Shetty

Famous Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who is also the father-in-law of Indian batter KL Rahul, revealed Virat Kohli was his favorite cricketer during the Money Control Creator Economy Summit in 2023.

He clarified that he didn’t choose KL Rahul simply because he was family, and instead, expressed his admiration for Kohli, saying:

"My favourite cricketer in today's time is definitely Virat Kohli. KL is my son. When it's family, you don't talk about family. My favourite cricketer is Virat Kohli because he is the master of chasing.”

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#3 Vicky Kaushal

Vicky Kaushal, known for his roles in films like ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike,’ ‘Sam Bahadur,’ and ‘Sardar Udham,’ has also named Virat Kohli as his favorite cricketer. While on Star Sports in 2023, Kaushal shared:

“Virat Kohli is my favorite cricketer in the world. He is the King of cricket.”

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#4 Kartik Aaryan

Another Bollywood star on the list is Kartik Aaryan, who has experienced a rapid rise in his career. In 2019, during a Q&A session on X (formerly Twitter), the 34-year-old actor was asked about his favorite cricketer, to which he answered:

“My fav is @imVkohli.”

The Indian actor was most recently seen in the movie ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.’