‘What Was He Drinking?’: Virat Kohli’s Mystery Drink During Indore ODI vs NZ Goes Viral (WATCH)

During the Indore ODI against New Zealand, a video of Virat Kohli taking a ‘mystery drink’ went viral. Fans noted his reaction, hinting he disliked it, though it was likely a pickle juice shot to help fight fatigue and cramps.

Former Team India and star batter Virat Kohli fought valiantly in the third and final ODI of the series against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 18. Kohli played a brilliant knock of 124 off 108 balls in the Men in Blue's 338-run chase, but not enough to prevent the side from losing the match as well as the series to the Kiwis, as the hosts fell 42 runs short of the target after being bundled out for 296 in 46 overs.

Team India registered their first-ever ODI series defeat to New Zealand at home in 37 years. Kohli’s 124-run knock and a crucial 101-run stand for the seventh wicket with Harshit Rana (52) gave the Men in Blue a glimmer of hope to chase down the target before a late lower-order collapse.

However, Virat Kohli was the standout batter for Team India in the ODI series against New Zealand, amassing 240 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 80 and a strike rate of 105.26

Kohli's Mystery Drink

Though Virat Kohli's performance in the ODI series decider in Indore was lauded by fans and experts, given the way he was anchoring India's innings despite defeat, a brief moment involving a ‘mystery drink’ during his knock grabbed widespread attention on social media.

In a video that went viral on social media, the veteran Indian batter can be seen consuming a brown-colored drink from a small bottle during the mid-overs break. Kohli appeared to struggle with the taste as he chugged the drink given by the team's physio in one go. Afterwards, he drank an energy drink followed by a piece of a banana.

During the drinks break, the support staff and physios often provide electrolyte mixes, high-energy supplements, or recovery fluids in order to combat fatigue, dehydration, and cramps, especially in high-intensity chases. Though theIndore temperature was was not extreme, the intensity of the chase demanded constant hydration and recovery support.

Fans Left Wondering over Virat Kohli's Mystery

As soon as the video of Virat Kohli having a ‘mystery drink’ in the middle of India's run chase went viral on social media, fans sparked a heated debate with many expressing the curosity over the moment and sharing varied reactions across platforms. 

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts reacted with surprise over Virat Kohli's drink, as theIndian batter did not like the taste, sparking memes, jokes, and endless speculation, making the brief mid-oversmoment one of the most talked-about clips from the Indore ODI.

What was Virat Kohli Drinking? 

 The social media turned into a heated debate with different speculations around Virat Kohli's mystery drinking during the third and final ODI of the series against New Zealand in Indore. Although the exact drink the former Indian captain had has not been identified, the consensus is that it was a pickle juice shot to reduce energy loss. 

Athletes drink pickle juice shots during competitions to combat sudden energy depletion. This helps reduce energy loss and fatigue, and can also prevent injuries like muscle cramps to a certain extent.

Cricket, football, and tennis players often drink pickle juice shots during matches to prevent energy loss and dehydration. It is also common for athletes to eat bananas during a match to reduce carbohydrate loss. During the Test series against South Africa, fans had also seen Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal drinking a pickle juice shot similar to the one Virat Kohli had.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has been in impressive form since his return to international cricket in October 2025 following retirement from Test cricket, amassing 616 runs, including three centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 88 in nine ODI matches. Kohli only focuses on ODIs after retiring from Tests and T20Is, intending to extend his illustrious international career till 2027 World Cup.