In a widely shared video on social media, a striking lookalike of Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli was spotted at the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. Dressed in Team India’s jersey, the doppelgänger attracted a crowd of fans eager for selfies and videos. Despite attempting to escape the growing throng, the Kohli lookalike found it challenging to navigate through the enthusiastic crowd.
Interestingly, a Sachin Tendulkar lookalike was also observed at the Ayodhya event, where thousands of devotees and celebrities gathered to witness the historic ceremony. This intriguing appearance of cricket lookalikes coincides with the upcoming five-match Test series between India and England, commencing on January 25.
This is what happened to duplicate Virat Kohli in Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/LdHJhQzKqX
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 22, 2024
The first Test is scheduled to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. In a significant development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Virat Kohli would be withdrawing from the initial two Tests of the series.
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BCCI Secretary Jay Shah released an official statement, saying, “Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons.”
Jay Shah further highlighted that Kohli, after discussions with Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and selectors, emphasized the need to prioritize personal commitments, despite always considering representing the country a top priority.
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The statement concluded by stating that the Men’s Selection Committee, led by Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, would soon announce a replacement for the 35-year-old Kohli in the Test matches scheduled for Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.