NEW DELHI: India superstar
Virat Kohli
has surpassed football star
Neymar
Jr. to become the second most followed
athlete
on X, formerly known as Twitter.
As per the current standings, Kohli, 35, boasts 63.5 million
followers
on the
social media
platform, narrowly edging out the 32-year-old Brazilian international, who has 63.4 million.
The huge number of followers highlights Kohli's extensive global reach.
While these numbers do not reflect his on-field prowess, they underscore his significant influence worldwide.
Cristiano Ronaldo
currently tops the chart with 111.4 million followers.
Former New Zealand captain
Ross Taylor
recently praised Kohli on the 120 Not Out podcast, calling him a "global superstar in the world of sports" and comparing his popularity to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Taylor emphasized Kohli's charisma and marketability, noting that his appeal transcends cricket.
"Players are now endorsing products on social media. Who would have thought of that in 2008? Kohli, a cricket superstar, is also a global sports superstar. In terms of Instagram and social media presence, he's up there with Ronaldo and Messi!" Taylor remarked.
"Sportsmen are more accessible now, and their actions are more critiqued. Movie stars, Bollywood celebrities, and politicians are all under the microscope because of social media. But that's not necessarily a bad thing," Taylor added, praising Kohli's widespread popularity.
Virat Kohli is currently with the Indian men's cricket team, participating in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Led by
Rohit Sharma
, India will begin their campaign against Ireland on Wednesday. Following the opener, India will lock horns with Pakistan in a highly anticipated
T20 World Cup
clash on Sunday.
English (US) ·