Virat Kohli disappeared from Instagram? Why there is a buzz around the cricket legend's Insta account

Has Virat Kohli deactivated his Instagram account? The internet is buzzing with this question right now after Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli's Instagram account was suddenly been deactivated overnight. A screenshot from Kohli's fanpage showed 'the profile is not available' or' the link may be broken' error messages when users tried to access the handle @virat.kohli. The development was noticed in the wee hours of Friday. However, hours later, his Instagram account was back again on Friday morning.

As of now, there has been no official announcement from Kohli or Instagram behind the same. Kohli's X account, however, remains active on the platform. Virat Kohli boasts over 274 million followers, which included Novak Djokovic among many other global sporting personalities

The timing was intriguing, given that Kohli has been in imperious form, having recently reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings after a superb 124-run innings against New Zealand earlier this month. Kohli's Instagram account, long a hub for cricketing updates, personal moments and collaborative brand promotions, stopped appearing in searches early on Friday morning.

Virat Kohli leaves Instagram

Hours after the news of Virat Kohli disappearing from Instagram surfaced on social media, the development spread like a wildfire and went viral online, leaving fans puzzled, angry and confused. Since there has been no official statement from Kohli's management or Meta, the internet has been rife with speculation.









Adding an element of bizarre internet humour, some fans have linked the deactivation to the viral “Nihilist Penguin” meme trend currently sweeping social media. Memes of the penguin “walking off the internet” have been paired with screenshots of Kohli’s blank profile, jokingly suggesting the cricketer has chosen to step away from the digital noise. As the most-followed Asian individual on Instagram, Kohli’s absence leaves a significant void in the sports–social media ecosystem.

Adding to the mystery, Virat Kohli’s brother Vikas Kohli’s Instagram account has also been missing from searches since Friday morning. Users attempting to access his profile have encountered the same “profile isn’t available” message, further fuelling speculation around the sudden disappearances.

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Something big coming soon?

The online chatter was further fuelled after Rohit Sharma teased fans of a "new role" earlier on Thursday. The former India captain wrote: "New Role Incoming" followed by "Lead ____ India" along with the national flag on his Instagram story. The post is a collaboration, which Rohit said he'll reveal on Friday afternoon. Fans are now wondering whether he was teasing a team update, a personal milestone or promotional post for a brand collaboration.

Fans seek answers from Anushka Sharma

With Virat Kohli going silent on Instagram, fans have turned to the next best source of information: his wife, actor Anushka Sharma. Her recent posts are being used as a helpdesk for worried Kohli supporters, with comments ranging from desperate to humorous.

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Anushka has not yet responded to the thousands of queries, maintaining the couple's recent trend of prioritizing privacy and family time. Some fans took to Instagram and X to ask Kohli’s wife, Anushka Sharma, “Bhaabhi, bhaiya ka account kahan gaya?”, roughly translating to “Where has brother’s account gone?”, flooding her comment sections with pleas for clarity.

Kohli, meanwhile, remains active on other platforms. His X account is still accessible, and there is no indication that the Instagram episode has had any impact on his professional commitments.