Virat Kohli celebrates stunning catch with special Diwali gesture

Virat Kohli brought out a new bow-and-arrow celebration after taking a stunning catch against New Zealand in Auckland. With Diwali approaching, the gesture added a festive touch to India's dominant bowling display.Kohli followed his stunning catch with a bow-and-arrow celebration. (ScreenGrab: SonyLiv)New Delhi,Nov 4, 2026 10:44 ISTVirat Kohli gave fans a familiar sight in Auckland, bringing out a bow-and-arrow celebration after taking a superb catch against New Zealand in the first ODI. With Diwali just around the corner, the gesture also brought a little festive flavour to India's dominant display.Kohli was stationed at second slip when Nathan Smith edged Anshul Kamboj behind. The former India captain threw himself to his right and grabbed the ball just inches above the ground. Clearly pleased with the effort, Kohli ran away before pulling out his new celebration, pretending to draw a bow and release an arrow. He then turned towards his teammates with a cheeky John Cena-inspired 'you can't see me' gesture.NZ vs IND, 1st ODI: UPDATESThe gesture had an added resonance with Diwali approaching, bringing to mind Lord Ram and his bow and arrow. Kohli has often let his emotions show on the field, and this was another such moment. His effort to get rid of Smith came at a time when India were building a strong grip on the innings, with New Zealand struggling to find any momentum.INDIA BOWLERS RUN RIOT IN AUCKLANDIndia's bowlers had New Zealand in serious trouble, reducing the hosts to 131/7 after 31 overs at the time of writing. The wickets came at regular intervals, leaving the home side with little room to build a partnership or settle into their innings. Anshul Kamboj and Arshdeep Singh had two wickets each, with Kamboj making particularly good use of the conditions. It was not just the bowlers who made life difficult for New Zealand. India's fielding was sharp too, with Rohit Sharma also contributing to a run-out with some sharp bit of reflexes on the field. Those efforts added to the pressure on a New Zealand batting line-up that was already finding it difficult to cope with India's attack.Kamboj also accounted for Mitchell Santner, bowling him for four, as New Zealand's middle order continued to fall apart. Arshdeep, meanwhile, kept chipping away, and his dismissal of Kyle Jamieson took New Zealand to 131/8 shortly after the 31-over mark.- Ends