A morphed image of India's cricketing icon Virat Kohli has gone viral all over social media. The image falsely claims that the Indian star signed a Pakistani t-shirt or a flag ahead of India's first practice session in Perth.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
Team India is currently touring Australia for a white-ball series. The series consists of 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is and will commence in Perth on October 19th.
Did Virat sign a Pakistani flag?
A controversy erupted when a video surfaced on social media, showing Virat Kohli signing a green jersey, resembling Pakistan's national kit, ahead of India's practice session in Perth.
However, multiple sources and original, verified visuals from the venue clarified that the Indian star signed on an RCB jersey, and the image appears to be manipulated by online trolls.
GOAT is here 🐐
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) October 16, 2025
🎥 - @RevSportzGlobal pic.twitter.com/TYXI7BwhuM
Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan are at their peak. The nations faced off in a war-like situation earlier this year. Poor relations were visible even on the field, as the Asia Cup was marred by controversies involving the two nations.
Under such circumstances, any such visual or incident can deeply harm the reputation of the Indian icons, such as Virat Kohli.
"Yes, the image is edited. Fact-checks and original videos confirm Virat Kohli signed an RCB jersey for a fan in Perth, not a Pakistan flag. The viral version is morphed, likely using editing tools," confirmed Grok under a tweet that shared the fake image.
What's next for Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli will finally be back in action for Team India after a long break of more than 7 months. The star batter last featured in the Finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in March this year.
Virat will return for India for their ODI series against Australia starting on Sunday, October 19th.
Schedule for India's ODI series against Australia 2025:
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Oct 19 | Perth Stadium, Perth |
| 2nd ODI | Oct 23 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| 3rd ODI | Oct. 25 | SCG, Sydney |
RELATED LINKS: