Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli is once again at the center of a social media explosion, and this time it has nothing to do with his cricketing brilliance. A blurry, unverified photo and a deleted Reddit post have thrown Virat Kohli into the middle of a smoking controversy.
After leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their long-awaited maiden IPL title earlier this month, Kohli went to his second home, London, with his family, making public appearances rare. Now, Kohli’s role in the Indian cricket team is limited only to ODIs after retiring from Test and T20I cricket.
However, the former Indian captain had still been in the headlines, thanks to his contribution to Test cricket, as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy got underway in England. Fans and cricket experts were missing the presence of the ever-dominant Virat in the ongoing five-match Test series.
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Well, Kohli is now back in the headlines for a Reddit post that took the internet by storm. titled "Virat Kohli smokes" claimed that the right-handed batter secretly smokes cigarettes, which is a stark contrast between his public image of discipline and his alleged personal life.
The Reddit post didn’t stop there, as it accused Kohli of eating non-vegetarian food despite his being known as a vegan. He turned vegetarian under the influence of his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, who is known for her strong stance on animal rights.
Is Virat Kohli smoking in a deleted Reddit post?
However, the original Reddit thread has been deleted, but it has already taken social media by storm. A user dropped a photo allegedly showing Kohli smoking. Despite its blurry quality and lack of confirmation, the image instantly went viral across social media platforms, triggering a storm of opinions, reactions, and debates.
The entire PR curated image of Kohli , the " non-smoker" and "non- drinker" is a scam as expected. His fans had the audacity to troll MS Dhoni for smoking a hookah. What a fake person man .??? pic.twitter.com/pBDIk5aT7q
— tweeting from my grave. (@kalhonahoooooo) June 28, 2025Fueling the drama further, the original post also made a sweeping claim that “hundreds of IPL players” smoke during the IPL season. However, the post didn’t name any player, but it has added more suspicion to the already brewing controversy.
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A blurry viral photo claiming to show Kohli smoking has divided fans on social media. While some criticized the batting icon, many defended the star, arguing the image is unclear and could be a lookalike. Some even said the object in his hand might be a lollipop, not a cigarette, while some called for privacy as he “earned the right to live life on his own terms.”
Here's how fans react to Virat Kohli's viral post:
He's earned the right to live life on his own terms — whether in private or public. A legend who has won almost every trophy in cricket and now stands at the twilight of his incredible career. Everyone deserves a bit of privacy, especially someone who has given us so much.
— đexv (@itruelydev) June 28, 2025This picture is from 2023 though t.co/ocMoxuTE46
— Ahama Premaa (@AhamaPremaa) June 28, 2025He doesn't look like Virat kohliVery big difference t.co/aQWMtMd8Hy
— Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange (@KumarTimes8) June 28, 2025Can't even eat let the man enjoy a lollipop in peace and they want his test return. We are never seeing him again ? t.co/xCRV5yvOCg
— Arnav (@arnav714) June 28, 2025I have no problem if Virat Kohli is aSmokerDrinkerNon veg eaterI only have problem with this PR merchant when even after doing all these he visits Premanadji Maharaj ji with camera.. pic.twitter.com/6oswOWUXFe
— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) June 28, 2025Virat Kohli is known to smoke every now and then, but he keeps it under wraps due to his spiritual and clean public image. While he’s seen as a vegetarian due to Anushka’s connection to animal welfare,it appears he eats non-veg .
— ✿ (@mwahyummyy) June 28, 2025First of all , Virat doesn't smoke and the image is you're showing is of another person who is looking like kohli , if have time then search look alike kohli you'll find out , if not then satisfied yourself by spreading fake news and lastly here you're showing fake kohli
— Xi jinpinggg (@NIKHILG79742367) June 28, 2025Just a month after announcing his retirement from Test cricket, Kohli is already making big moves off the field. Kohli, who ended his Test career with 9230 runs in 123 matches, including 30 centuries, has now invested ₹40 crore in Agilitas, a growing sports goods company.
Agilitas was founded two years ago by Abhishek Ganguly, the former head of Puma India. Ganguly shares a long-standing bond with Kohli, having played a key role in making him the face of Puma during his time at the company. Now, the two have joined hands again, but this time in the business world, as Virat backs Ganguly’s latest venture in the sports industry.
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