Virat Kohli's popularity often attracts cricket fans from across the globe to rally behind him and even the Indian team during ICC tournaments and it is his immense fan following that seems to have played a crucial role in the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics.
Niccolo Campriani, president of the LA Local Organising Committee (LALOG) underlined the veteran batter's popularity as one of the prominent reasons that saw cricket find a place at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 alongside four other sports Squash, baseball/softball, lacrosse and flag football.
"We all recognise the critical importance of a strong digital presence in order to keep the games relevant for the youth. And cricket is offering a unique platform to do so. Think [about] my friend here Virat. He's the third-most followed athlete in the world on social media with 314 million followers. That's more than LeBron James, Tom Brady and Tiger Woods combined. This is the ultimate win-win for LA 28," said Campriani during the International Olympics Committee meeting on Monday in Mumbai.
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"The IOC and the cricket community as cricket will be showcased on a global stage to grow beyond the traditional cricket countries, while the Olympic movement gains access to previously untapped communities of athletes and fans. It's a great example of how one can reach the other," he added.
Virat's fanbase recognises no boundaries and cricket fans across the world love and adore the 34-year-old former India skipper.
He is one of the most followed athletes across social media platforms and his fan following is still witnessing a surge. The right-handed batter has over 51 million followers on Facebook, 58.3 million on 'X' formerly Twitter and 260 million followers on Instagram. There's no other Indian athlete who comes anywhere close to Virat Kohli in terms of fan following across these three social media platforms.
