In a move that sent shockwaves through the digital world, Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli’s Instagram account suddenly vanished on Friday morning. The profile, boasting over 274 million followers, left millions of fans in a state of confusion and panic as it appeared to be deactivated without warning. The disappearance was first noticed in the early hours of Friday. Users attempting to access the handle @virat.kohli were met with the standard error messages: “This page isn’t available” or “The link may be broken.” However, the anxious fans were able to catch their breath hours later when Kohli’s Instagram account was reactivated, just hours later after its disappearance.
The timing was particularly baffling given Kohli’s red-hot form. He recently reclaimed the No. 1 ICC ODI batting ranking, though for a short interval, after a masterful 124-run knock against New Zealand earlier this month. As his Instagram went dark, his profile on X (formerly Twitter) remained active, though the “King” offered no immediate explanation.
With Virat silent, fans turned to the next best source: his wife, actor Anushka Sharma. Her recent posts were quickly repurposed as a community helpdesk, with comments ranging from the desperate to the hilarious. Here are some of the comments left on Anushka’s Instagram by fans:
Anushka maintained the couple’s trademark privacy, leaving the queries unanswered while fans speculated about everything from a high-level hack to a voluntary “digital detox.”
What Really Happened?
As of Friday morning, the mystery has reached a semi-conclusion: Virat Kohli’s account has officially returned to Instagram. While neither Meta nor Kohli’s management team has released a statement, the “Nihilist Penguin” meme trend, which shows a penguin walking off into the distance, became the internet’s favourite explanation for his brief exit. Whether it was a technical glitch or a deliberate “walk off the internet,” the impact was undeniable.
As the most-followed Asian individual on the platform, Kohli’s absence-even for a few hours-proved that when the King goes silent, the whole world listens for the echo.
