(Image source from: ANI)
Instagram became silent, and cricket fans in India sensed something was off. Virat Kohli might not be playing right now, but his absence from Instagram has made fans anxious. On January 30, Kohli's verified account, which has more than 270 million followers, abruptly vanished from the platform, leaving fans confused and chatting online. Kohli's account, known for cricket updates, personal snapshots, and brand endorsements, was no longer found in searches early Friday morning, with users encountering the common message: “Profile isn’t available. ” There has been no official word from Kohli, his team, or Instagram about whether this disappearance is deliberate, temporary, or simply a technical issue.
Adding to the confusion, Vikas Kohli, Virat Kohli's brother, has also been missing from searches on Instagram since Friday morning. When users tried to view his profile, they received the same “profile isn’t available” notice. Reactions on social media varied from worry to humorous disbelief. Some fans reached out to Kohli's wife, Anushka Sharma, through Instagram and X, asking her, “Bhaabhi, bhaiya ka account kahan gaya? ” which means “Where did brother's account go? ”, filling her comments with requests for answers. As the rumors spread, memes quickly filled social media, with users connecting Kohli’s Instagram absence to a recent viral “missing penguin” trend that had recently taken over the internet. Posts humorously claimed that 2026 seems to be a year of sudden disappearances, combining images of Kohli's inaccessible profile with pictures of the penguin and suggesting both had “left the internet without a word. "
The online buzz grew when Rohit Sharma fueled speculation a day prior by posting an enigmatic Instagram Story hinting at a “big announcement” arriving soon. The captain of India shared a short message implying something “big” was on the way, but did not elaborate, making fans curious whether he was hinting at a team update, a personal achievement, or a promotional post for a brand collaboration. Meanwhile, Kohli continues to be active on other platforms. His X account is still live, and there are no signs that this Instagram situation has affected his professional responsibilities. The 37-year-old has recently returned to London after performing well in the ODI series against New Zealand and is anticipated to be back for the next Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) season, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to keep their title.
On the cricket field, Kohli has shown remarkable performance in ODIs since returning to competitive play in October of last year after a rare four-month hiatus. During this time, he scored 616 runs in nine matches, including three centuries. Kohli briefly reached the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings before being surpassed earlier this month by Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand.
