Was Virat Kohli present at the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22? The grand ceremony was attended by several members of the cricket fraternity, the likes of which included Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, and Venkatesh Prasad among others. Kohli was earlier invited to attend the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony. Now, a picture of a newspaper cutout has gone viral which showed Kohli in a traditional outfit. The picture itself did not mean anything but it was placed alongside the ones of other celebrities who attended the event, making it look as if Kohli did too. Virat Kohli's Lookalike Mobbed By Fans in Ayodhya After Ram Mandir's Pran Pratishtha Ceremony, Video Goes Viral.

The Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony drew an audience from all over the country and not just the cricket fraternity but also many others from other walks of life. Kohli recently pulled out of the first two India vs England Test matches due to personal reasons, days ahead of the series opener in Hyderabad. The BCCI in a statement, urged the fans to respect the cricketer's privacy and not speculate about the nature of his 'personal reasons.' The Indian cricket board also announced that a replacement would be named soon.

Viral Pic Claiming Virat Kohli Attended Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Ceremony

Or Did He?

But the picture of Kohli in ethnic attire, which has been shared extensively on social media, is not from Ayodhya. This picture is actually from a separate event that the cricketer had attended. Many on social media have claimed that Kohli was present at the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony. But the picture that has been used to show it, is an old one, dating to almost four months back. India vs England Test Series 2024: Virat Kohli Opts Out of First Two Tests Citing Personal Reasons.

Fan Points Out Pic Being an Old One

'Fake News'

Several overseas cricketers like Kevin Pietersen, David Warner, Danish Kaneria and Keshav Maharaj posted messages on social media to react to the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.

Fact check

Fact Check: Virat Kohli’s Viral Pic from Ayodhya Real or Fake? Know Truth Behind ‘Newspaper Cutout’ Claiming Indian Cricketer Attended Pran Pratishtha Ceremony
Claim :

Virat Kohli attended Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya

Conclusion :

No, the picture used to depict the news on Virat Kohli, is fake and an old one.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2024 12:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).