Fans speculate a Virat Kohli and Lionel Messi meet-up as Kohli returns to India with Anushka Sharma

After the three-match ODI series against South Africa ended, Virat Kohli left for London and returned to India on Saturday. He was seen at the Mumbai airport with his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.

Kohli was spotted raising his hand at the photographers as he left the airport, but Anushka remained expressionless as she made her way directly to the car that was waiting for the couple.

But rumours about a potential meeting with Lionel Messi have been raised by his return to the nation. Messi will see his supporters at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on December 14 after arriving in Kolkata on December 13.

Messi's first day in India did not go as planned, though, as Kolkata fans lost out on important time with their idol. Messi allegedly left the Salt Lake Stadium within ten minutes, disappointing the thousands of fans who had flocked there to see the football legend. Consequently, the crowd at Salt Lake Stadium became aggressive and started damaging the stadium.

Witnesses claim that Messi's intended stadium lap never actually happened. Politicians, bureaucrats, celebrities, their families, and an excessive number of paparazzi surrounded him as soon as he set foot on the pitch. Messi's connection with the larger crowd was severely limited when his security crew was forced to abandon the lap due to the extreme congestion surrounding him. Unrest started to grow in the crowd as news got out that the star would not be staying long.

Anticipation has increased quickly because both superstars are expected to arrive in Mumbai at roughly the same time, particularly after Messi's brief and tumultuous visit to Kolkata sparked concerns about how the remainder of the tour might play out.

There is yet no formal confirmation that Virat Kohli and Lionel Messi will meet. According to reports, Messi is travelling as part of a pre-arranged tour schedule, while Kohli has reportedly returned to India ahead of a potential Vijay Hazare Trophy debut for Delhi.

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