Ajinkya Rahane Slammed By Fans After Downplaying Virat Kohli’s Iconic IND vs PAK Moment

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane [Source: @MDRaju_Live, @OxygenKohlii18/x.com]

India vs Pakistan moments are sacred for fans as they are emotions stitched into memory. So when Ajinkya Rahane appeared to brush aside Virat Kohli’s iconic six against Haris Rauf while discussing greatest World Cup moments, fans on X exploded.

What began as a fun ranking video with Dinesh Karthik quickly turned into a full-blown social media debate with fans accusing Rahane of ignoring Kohli and even questioning his reactions on camera.

Rahane faces backlash for ignoring Kohli in greatest IND vs PAK moments list

In a video featuring Dinesh Karthik and Ajinkya Rahane picking top three India vs Pakistan World Cup moments, things started smoothly.

Rahane named Venkatesh Prasad’s famous send-off to Aamer Sohail as his No. 3 moment. Karthik countered with Ajay Jadeja’s brutal assault on Waqar Younis in the 1996 World Cup.

At No. 2, Rahane picked Joginder Sharma’s final over and Sreesanth’s catch to dismiss Misbah-ul-Haq in the 2007 T20 World Cup final. Karthik chose Jasprit Bumrah’s dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan in the 2023 World Cup, highlighting how the crowd erupted in unison. Then came the moment that lit the fuse.

Kohli’s six debate sets social media on fire

For his No. 1, Rahane chose Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic upper-cut six against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup. Karthik went with Virat Kohli’s unforgettable back-foot six off Haris Rauf during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne ,a shot many fans call the greatest in India vs Pakistan history.

Rahane responded with a line that didn’t sit well with fans. He suggested Kohli’s six was “only for views” and added that R Ashwin leaving the final ball for a wide in the same match was a better moment.

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@OxygenKohlii18

Rahane is literally so insecure of Kohli🤡 Just look at his reaction when Karthik said Kohli’s 18.5 was the greatest moment in an India vs Pakistan game.

Feb 14, 2026, 11:12 AM

Karthik joked that he contributed to that moment by getting out earlier, while Rahane maintained that Ashwin’s leave was among the best moments of the World Cup.

But it wasn’t just the comment. Fans also noticed Rahane’s expression when Kohli’s six was mentioned and that is where the real storm began. Several fans accused Rahane of ignoring Kohli deliberately, with many calling his reaction “insecure” and “unnecessary.”

Here’s a look at a few reactions:

Rangsaari

@rangsaari_67

@OxygenKohlii18 Kohli wasnt lying when he said even in a room full of people he felt lonely because he knew snakes like Rahane always surrounded him

Prakash Pallapothu

@urstrulyPP

@OxygenKohlii18 I didn’t know Rahane was like this.. wow.. being Virat’s peers, may be these guys are all so insecure about kohli’s success..

Asmita Roy 🇮🇳

@VGOATKOHLI

@OxygenKohlii18 They're from a particular lobby😭😭

Jack•

@Jackistan45

@OxygenKohlii18 Kohli was right when he said “ I feel alone in a room full of people ” Imagine how trash personality he has that no any single senior Indian players are close to him & give respect to him after having that much cricketing stats. Rohit will always be superior to him in relavancy

ABK morningstar

@morningstar_KGF

@OxygenKohlii18 he's so jealous of Kohli. How he might have felt being vice captain under him..

Fresh debate after Rahane’s all-time T20 XI omission

Meanwhile, the backlash grew louder because this wasn’t the first time recently that Rahane’s choices around Kohli caught attention.

During the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup, Rahane picked his all-time right-handed T20 XI. The list included Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni and others. But there was no Virat Kohli.

That omission shocked many fans, especially considering Kohli’s towering record. He is the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 World Cups and IPL history and has delivered countless match-winning knocks for India in big tournaments.

Kohli’s legacy too big to ignore

Virat Kohli’s numbers in T20 cricket read like a record book. Player of the Tournament in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups. Player of the Final in India’s 2024 title win. Countless match-defining knocks against Pakistan and other top teams.

So when that moment is questioned or downplayed, even casually, fans are bound to react, and react loudly.

The video continues to circulate across platforms. Discussions haven’t cooled down yet. Some call it harmless opinion, others see it as unnecessary shade. But one thing is certain: in India vs Pakistan cricket, every word carries weight and every reaction gets magnified.