A photo that recently exploded across social media platforms showed Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli signing what appeared to be a Pakistan national team jersey in Perth, Australia. The image, shared widely with sensational captions, sparked a wave of confusion, criticism, and heated debates among fans from both nations. For a brief moment, it seemed like a major diplomatic faux pas—or perhaps a grand gesture of sportsmanship—had occurred just days before India’s crucial ODI series against Australia.
Don’t believe everything you see online. Multiple independent fact-checks have now conclusively debunked the viral image. The truth is far less controversial and much more in line with Kohli’s known fan interactions.
Kohli was indeed giving autographs to fans in Perth, but the jersey he signed was not from Pakistan. It was his very own Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jersey. A genuine video from the scene clearly shows the fan presenting an RCB shirt, which Kohli happily signed .
The original, unedited video footage circulating among fact-checkers shows the fan holding up a red RCB jersey—the iconic color of Kohli’s IPL franchise. There is no Pakistani flag or green jersey in sight. The viral image was a clear case of digital manipulation, where the RCB logo and colors were crudely replaced to mimic a Pakistan team jersey .
The doctored image was cleverly crafted to exploit the intense India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. By placing Kohli, an Indian icon, in a seemingly friendly act towards a rival symbol, the image was designed to go viral. The edit was convincing enough at a quick glance to fool many casual scrollers, demonstrating the power—and danger—of misinformation in the digital age .
Such fabricated content can quickly spiral out of control, creating unnecessary tension and spreading false narratives. This incident is a stark reminder for fans to verify information from credible sources before sharing.
The entire event took place as the Indian cricket team is in Perth for their upcoming ODI and T20I series against the hosts, Australia . Kohli’s interaction with fans was a routine and friendly gesture, a common sight whenever the team is on tour. His focus, like that of his teammates, is firmly on the matches ahead, not on signing rival team memorabilia.
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| Kohli signed a Pakistan jersey in Perth. | Kohli signed an RCB jersey for a fan in Perth. |
| The viral image is authentic. | The image is a digitally altered fake. |
| This happened during a special event. | This was a routine fan interaction during team practice. |
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