Watch: Virat Kohli lands in Mumbai ahead of three-match Test series against New Zealand

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli arrived in Mumbai last night, from London, for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. The 35-year-old was spotted at the Mumbai airport, where he obliged the paparazzi with a quick photo opportunity before making his way out.

Interestingly, while being captured at the Mumbai airport, the Delhi-born had a light-hearted moment with the paparazzi as they told the cricketer, "BGT mein aag lagani hai (You have to light up the Border-Gavaskar Trophy)."

The three-match Test series kicks off on Wednesday, October 16, in Bengaluru. Following the opener, the action will move to Pune for the second Test starting October 24, with the series finale scheduled in Mumbai from November 1. The BCCI is likely to announce the squad soon with the whole team to arrive in Bengaluru on October 12.

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Virat Kohli 53 runs away to reach 9000 Test runs

Kohli is coming off a mixed performance in the recent series against Bangladesh. While he struggled in the first Test with scores of 6 and 17, he bounced back in the second match. His 47 off 35 balls in the first innings, followed by an unbeaten 29 in the second, played a crucial role in India's seven-wicket victory and series sweep.

Meanwhile, Kohli's record against New Zealand is impressive. In 11 Tests he has scored 866 runs at an average of 45.57, including three centuries and three half-centuries. With 8,947 runs in 115 Tests, Kohli is close to joining an elite club. He needs just 53 runs to become the fourth Indian batter to cross the 9,000-run mark in Test cricket, following legends like Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).