A Virat Kohli lookalike was mobbed by pilgrims in Ayodhya on Monday (January 22) after some of the people mistook him for the former India captain.
The video of the incident is doing rounds across social media platforms. In the video, Virat's doppelganger can be seen taking selfies with the devotees who had gathered on the auspicious occasion in Ayodhya. However, the rumours of Virat's arrival spread like wildfire and it created problems for Virat's lookalike as he was seen struggling to escape from the mob.
Watch the video:
Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Mithali Raj, Anil Kumble, and Ravindra Jadeja among others from the cricketing fraternity attended the Ram temple ceremony.
Notably, Virat is not going to be available for the first two Tests against England starting January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a statement, "Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons.
"Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.
"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series".
The BCCI has also requested the fans to abstain from speculating the reason behind Virat's unavailability and to respect his privacy. Virat's replacement for the first two Tests will be announced soon as India gear up to take on a spirited Ben Stokes-led side on home turf.
