No retirement for Virat Kohli! Instagram account reactivated after sudden vanishing

Virat Kohli's Instagram account is back [Source: X]

After leaving fans with several heart attacks, Virat Kohli’s Instagram account is finally up and running again. Since January 29, fans were baffled by the sudden midnight disappearance of Virat Kohli’s Instagram handle, which has over 270 million followers.

Fans and followers were concerned, with retirement rumours doing the rounds, as many suggested that the Indian legend might be planning to retire from the Indian Premier League as well as the ODI format, prompting such a move.

Others believed Virat Kohli was opting for a social media detox, while reports of a technical glitch from Instagram’s side were also considered possible.

Virat Kohli’s Instagram account faced technical glitch

Putting all speculation to rest, Virat Kohli’s Instagram account was restored on the morning of January 30, shortly after 8:30 AM IST, following an overnight vanishing of his posts.

As of now, the most likely reason behind the disappearance appears to be a temporary technical glitch affecting the account, which boasts around 274 million followers.

There has been no clarification yet, either from Virat Kohli or from Instagram’s official channels.

Still, it was evident how deeply fans were affected, as RCB supporters and Kohli fans flooded Instagram’s official handle with messages featuring Kohli’s ID, demanding an explanation for the sudden removal of the account.

Nevertheless, amid the emotional rollercoaster, there was good news for fans as Kohli’s Instagram account returned with all posts intact.

Fans were quick to react, especially on a brand advertisement post with Visit Dubai, where the comment section was flooded with messages such as “Welcome back, King” and “King is back, aaj to dara hi diya tha aap poore samaj ko,” reflecting both relief and excitement.

Virat Kohli’s Instagram empire

Virat Kohli’s Instagram account features over 1,000 posts, where he frequently shares pictures with his wife Anushka Sharma, glimpses of his cricketing journey, and a significant number of brand promotions and collaborations.

It is worth noting that Virat Kohli has previously taken breaks from social media, including a brief detox period of three to four months around the time of Akaay’s birth.

Kohli’s earnings from his Instagram handle

Also, there appeared to be no clear reason behind the temporary disappearance of Kohli’s Instagram account. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketer is among the highest-paid celebrities on Instagram globally, reportedly earning around ₹11 to ₹14 crore per sponsored post.

This stature places him among the top 20 to 25 highest-paid Instagram personalities worldwide, alongside global icons like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Beyond cricket, these sponsored posts form a significant part of Kohli’s digital earnings, underlining his status as a top-tier social media influencer.

Virat Kohli on top of cricketing form

On the cricketing front, Virat Kohli continues to be in sublime form. From late 2025 through the recently concluded New Zealand ODI series, he has enjoyed a prolific run, with centuries and half-centuries coming consistently.

Virat Kohli’s most recent outing was the third ODI against New Zealand, where he scored a brilliant 124 and finished the series with an average of 80.00.

He will now have some time to relax before the IPL 2026, with his next national assignment scheduled for the India tour of England in 2026, where the first ODI is set to be played in July.