Fact Check: Did Virat Kohli really sign a Pakistan flag? Here’s the truth behind viral photo

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Virat Kohli’s return to international cricket has already sparked immense excitement, but it also triggered a storm of misinformation online. A viral image claiming to show Kohli signing a Pakistan flag in Perth began circulating on social media ahead of India’s first ODI against Australia. The photo quickly drew emotional reactions from users across platforms, prompting widespread debate.

Virat Kohli’s return sparks online frenzy as Pakistan flag signing photo goes viral

As Team India landed in Perth for their much-anticipated white-ball series against Australia, excitement was sky-high to see Kohli and Rohit Sharma back in blue. During a public interaction outside the team hotel, Kohli obliged several fans by signing jerseys and memorabilia. In the viral pic, shared by several anonymous accounts with the caption that “Kohli signs Pakistani flag in Perth.” The post spread like wildfire and the online war started among India and Pakistan social media keyboard warriors regarding the pic.

Virat Kohli spotted giving autographs to a Pakistani fan in Perth, Australia. 🫡❤️ pic.twitter.com/pGZ9s90oVw

— Zeeshan Nadeem (@Shani_7800) October 16, 2025

Also READ: Virat Kohli’s revenge tour? Parthiv Patel predicts nightmare for Australia in ODIs against India

Here’s the complete truth behind the viral pic

How the video upload of a fan by Rev Sportz have confirmed the truth, Kohli only signed a red-and-black Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jersey, the same team he led in the IPL 2025 final earlier this year. The fan in the clip can be seen proudly holding the franchise’s merchandise, not any national flag. The original footage, shot by local journalists in Australia, showed no trace of a flag. This doctored image was part of a broader trend of AI-manipulated visuals targeting high-profile athletes to provoke outrage and confusion.

Kohli, focused on his comeback after India’s Champions Trophy triumph, has been actively training in the nets, looking in superb touch ahead of the ODI opener on October 19. This fabricated photo serves as a stark reminder of how deepfake tools can distort reality within seconds. As India prepares for a high-stakes tour, the episode also underscores the need for media literacy and cautious consumption of viral content. Kohli’s gesture, in truth, was simply one of gratitude towards a supporter, not a political statement, as falsely claimed.