Virat Kohli issues statement after wild speculations on 'mistaken' Instagram activity: 'Absolutely no intent behind it'

Virat Kohli has addressed the social media buzz that erupted after many users claimed that the cricketer liked a post from a fan page dedicated to actress Avneet Kaur on Instagram. The incident, which sparked considerable chatter online, a barrage of reactions and even some unwarranted tagging of Kohli's wife, Anushka Sharma, in the comment section of the post, as well as on other social media platforms. Kohli has now responded with a direct and measured statement, requesting people not to read too much into the incident. Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli watches to play a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match(AFP)

Kohli took to Instagram Stories and issued a clarification that aimed to put the matter to rest. Without naming the actress or the post, he addressed the controversy directly and urged the public to avoid speculation. His statement read: “I'd like to clarify that while clearing my feed, it appears the algorithm may have mistakenly registered an interaction. There was absolutely no intent behind it. I request that no unnecessary assumptions be made. Thank you for your understanding.”

Virat Kohli's statement(Virat Kohli/Instagram)

On May 2, several eagle-eyed users noticed Kohli’s verified Instagram handle listed among the likes on the fan page's. The post soon went viral with many fans commenting on it. While some laughed it off as a technical glitch or managerial error, others made unwarranted speculations about the cricketer.

The like in question has since disappeared. This comes a day after Kohli posted a heartfelt birthday message for his wife, Anushka. Married since 2017, the pair welcomed their second child, Akaay, in February last year.

Kohli currently with RCB

Virat Kohli is currently participating in the 2025 Indian Premier League, where his side, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is flying high on the table. With seven wins in 10 matches, the RCB are second on the table, level with table-toppers Mumbai Indians but trailing Hardik Pandya's men on Net Run Rate.

Kohli will return to action on Saturday night when the side hosts Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru. CSK became the first team to be eliminated from the race for the playoffs earlier this week.

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