15-year-old boy cycles 7 hours to Kanpur to see Virat Kohli bat during India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test, his wish fulfilled

New Delhi: The inspiring story of a 10th-grade boy cycling 58 kilometers from his home in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, to reach the Green Park stadium in Kanpur on the first day of the India-Bangladesh Test match, quickly went viral on social media.

An X user posted a video with an animated young boy by the name of Kartikey, who said he had bicycled a distance from Unnao to Kanpur to see the Test match play between India and Bangladesh. Thus, it becomes one of the more crucial games played at Kanpur’s Green Park since 2010, since it is only the third Test played there.

A 15-year-old boy cycled 58 kilometers just to watch Virat Kohli bat, showcasing his dedication and love for the game.

A 15-year-old kid rode 58 kilometers on his bicycle just to watch Virat Kohli bat pic.twitter.com/rigqQBoCHq

— A (@_shortarmjab_) September 27, 2024

When asked about his journey by the person capturing the video, Kartikey explained how he made it to the stadium before the match. “I left at 4 in the morning and arrived before 11,” he shared in the video, highlighting his dedication to watching the game.

The boy, Kartikey, revealed that he had made the journey alone, trusted by his family to cycle the entire distance from Unnao to the stadium. When asked if traveling in the early morning darkness posed any concerns, he mentioned it wasn’t an issue for his family.

When questioned about who he was most eager to watch in the Test match, Kartikey immediately responded with Virat Kohli. Kohli, who had received a warm reception upon his arrival in Kanpur, remains a fan favorite in the area.

However, Kartikey and other spectators had to wait to see Kohli and the Indian team bat, as Rohit Sharma opted to bowl first. Rain and poor light on the opening day limited play to just 35 overs, with Bangladesh finishing at 107-3.

Kartikey and all of India would be keeping their fingers crossed for the better performance of Virat Kohli after his dismal scores of 6 and 17 in the previous Test in Chennai. It was Kohli’s first Test cricket in 2024 after missing the entire series against England at the beginning of the year. However, the wide outside-the-off stump deliveries that earlier had troubled him and quite some difficulties before spinners resurfaced.

Ahead of a busy Test season that includes three games against New Zealand and the five-game Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, India are looking to whitewash New Zealand at Kanpur, and Kohli will be looking to score big and regain form.