Fact check: Did Virat Kohli attend Ram Mandir consecration ceremony?
Virat Kohli
Indian men's cricket team superstar Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were extended the invitation to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday (Jan 22). While some reports claimed that Kohli did not attend the event, some viral videos and images on social media suggested that Kohli had indeed made the trip to the holy city.
A picture showing Kohli in a black kurta, wearing glasses was widely shared with claims that the former Indian captain was present at the Ram Janambhoomi Mandir. However, the picture being shared is not from the occasion.
Kohli visited his friend Rahul Kanal for Ganesh Chaturthi a few months ago and a picture clicked there is now being circulated, mostly by Kohli fan clubs. A few popular cricket aggregators on X (formerly known as Twitter) also shared videos claiming that Kohli's car convoy had reached Ayodhya.
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Apart from the fake media content, a Kohli impersonator was also spotted taking photos with unsuspecting people during the event. The video of the incident also spread like wildfire all over social media.
While Kohli missed the event other cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Ravindra Jadeja and Venkatesh Prasad among others attended the ceremony.
Kohli to miss first two Tests
Kohli, who is often spotted visiting temples and gurus missed the event, possibly due to personal reasons that also prompted him to pull out of the first two Tests against England.
BCCI in a release on Monday informed about Kohli's withdrawal from the series. The first Test of the five-match series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25
"Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming Test series against England, citing personal reasons," BCCI said in the official statement.
"Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention," it added.
The board also advised against speculating on the reasons behind Kohli's withdrawal. A replacement will be named in due course, confirmed the BCCI.
(With inputs from agencies)