Virat Kohli’s Instagram account restored after brief overnight disappearance

India cricketer Virat Kohli’s Instagram account became accessible again on Friday morning after being temporarily unavailable overnight on January 30, prompting widespread curiosity and speculation. The sudden disappearance of one of the world’s most-followed athletes quickly drew attention, with fans flagging that Kohli’s profile was no longer visible late on Thursday night.

The episode was not limited to Kohli alone. His brother, Vikas Kohli, was also found to have his Instagram account deactivated around the same time. While Virat Kohli’s profile reappeared at around 8:30 am on Friday, Vikas Kohli’s account remained inactive at the time of writing.

There has been no official clarification from Kohli, his management team, or Instagram regarding the reason behind the temporary disappearance. It remains unclear whether the blackout was deliberate or the result of a technical glitch on the platform. The absence of any immediate explanation only fuelled speculation across social media overnight.

Kohli’s fanbase reacted swiftly, with multiple platforms flooded by posts expressing concern and amusement in equal measure. Several users tagged Instagram’s official handle, seeking answers about the missing account. Others took a lighter approach, leaving humorous comments on Anushka Sharma’s Instagram page, jokingly asking about Kohli’s whereabouts in the comments.

As discussions gathered pace, memes soon began circulating widely. Many users linked Kohli’s Instagram disappearance to the viral “missing penguin” trend that had recently gained traction online. Screenshots of Kohli’s unavailable profile were paired with images of the penguin, with posts humorously suggesting that both had vanished from the internet without explanation, turning the brief incident into a source of online entertainment.

Although Kohli’s account is now back online, the reason behind its sudden disappearance remains unknown.