"I saw him cry in the bathroom" - Indian cricketer recalls moment that left Virat Kohli crestfallen

Team India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has revealed that he saw batting superstar Virat Kohli cry for the first time after the Men in Blue's heartbreaking defeat in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. Chahal recalled that he saw Kohli crying in the bathroom.

New Zealand beat India by 18 runs in the first semifinal of the 2019 ODI World Cup at Old Trafford in Manchester. Batting first after winning the toss, the Kiwis were held to 239-8. India, however, got off to a shocking start in response as KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and skipper Kohli all perished for one run each. At the start of the fourth over, the Men in Blue had crumbled to 5-3.

Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59) and MS Dhoni (50 off 72) led a fightback for India. However, it wasn't enough in the end as the Men in Blue were bowled out for 221 in 49.3 overs. During his appearance on Raj Shamani's podcast, Chahal revealed that he saw Kohli crying for the first time after the defeat in the match. He said:

"2019 World Cup. I saw him cry in the bathroom. I was the last batter and when I was crossing him, I saw [tears] in his eyes. I saw everyone cry in 2019, in the bathroom."

Praising the former India captain for his enthusiasm and positive attitude on the cricket field, the 35-year-old went on to add:

"The energy that he brings every day, it never goes down. It only goes up - every day till the last ball."

India's 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand in Manchester also marked the end of Dhoni's international career.

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Virat Kohli's performance in the 2019 World Cup

Kohli did not score a single century in the 2019 ODI World Cup. However, he had a consistent campaign with the willow. In nine matches, the right-handed batter scored 443 runs at an average of 55.37 and an economy rate of 94.05, with the aid of five half-centuries.

The seasoned batter's best of 82 in the tournament came off 77 balls against Australia at The Oval. He also smashed 77 off just 65 balls against Pakistan in the high-profile clash in Manchester.