Virat Kohli's spiritual connection has increased dramatically in recent years. The former captain of India, Kohli, now frequently visits religious sites starting from temples in Uttarakhand and ending in ashrams in Vrindavan to get the serenity that is miles away from the very loud cricket of his level. India’s left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Kohli visited the Shree Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple on Saturday morning. This temple is located slightly below two hours from Holkar Stadium, which is in Indore, where India will face New Zealand in the third ODI, deciding the series. The visit took place just before the match which was extremely important as the series was drawn at one game apiece. Wearing simple clothes, Kohli and Kuldeep performed the rituals and then had a short talk with the followers of the religion outside the temple. Furthermore, Kuldeep, who was on his first visit to the famous shrine in Ujjain, prayed not only for his own good luck but also for the T20 World Cup 2026, in a way. #WATCH | Madhya Pradesh | Former Indian Captain and Star Cricketer Virat Kohli, along with Kuldeep Yadav, offered prayers at Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. pic.twitter.com/GirLTB7j6I — ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026 Kuldeep said after the visit: “It was a very good experience. It’s been 9 years since I first had darshan here. It brings a lot of joy and bliss. By the grace of God, everything is good, and if his grace remains, we will perform well in the World Cup.” India's momentum had been shattered after losing to Rajkot by seven wickets and they reached Indore with their spirits down. India was able to set a target of 284 with KL Rahul's brilliant knock of 112 not out but the series was equalized as Daryl Mitchell's great 131 made it easy for New Zealand to go for the target and get it. Now, the focus is on Holkar Stadium, which is famous for its high scores, to see if New Zealand can again defeat India on their home ground. Also Read | ‘Fired the Gun from His Shoulder’: Gambhir Linked to Rohit Sharma’s ODI Captaincy Removal The match is significant for Virat Kohli in that he will be playing for the first time after climbing back to the top of the ICC ODI ranking. Although he could manage just 23 runs in Rajkot, the knock made him the highest run-scorer for India against New Zealand in ODIs, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar in the process. Kohli has now amassed 1,773 runs in 35 matches against New Zealand at a rate of over 55, which is his average.