Kohli becomes first cricketer to touch 100 million Instagram followers
Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has become the first cricketer to get 100 million followers on Instagram. With this feat, Kohli has now become the fourth most-followed sportsperson on Instagram. Leading the list is Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 265 million followers, followed by FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, having 186 million followers, and Brazil's Neymar who has 147 million followers.
ICC shared the news on social media
ICC shared the news with a stylish picture of Kohli, as he flaunted his number 18 jersey. "Virat Kohli - the first cricket star to hit 100 million followers on Instagram, (sic)" the post read. Other members of this elite club include Hollywood actor and former pro-wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, American singer-songwriter Beyonce, and pop star Ariana Grande.
King Kohli adds another feather to his cap
What does Kohli post on Instagram?
Kohli has so far posted 1,129 pictures on the app; his profile picture features wife and Bollywood actor-producer Anushka Sharma. A large number of his posts are dedicated to his favorite sport — cricket. Kohli posts pictures from his training sessions, moments from the field, and also shares his intense workout routine with his followers. Kohli's Instagram page also features brands that he endorses.
He is a force to reckon with on social media
Kohli's superstardom on social media can be judged by the fact that he retained the top spot in the celebrity endorser rank in the 2020 Duff & Phelps celebrity brand valuation report. This was the fourth consecutive time that he led the list, Mint reported last month. His brand value was judged at $237.7 million despite the restrictions levied due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Kohli signed two partnerships last year
The report claimed 32-year-old Kohli's social media following surged at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.4%. Each post of his invited 2.8 million engagements. Even when cricketing tournaments remained shut for a large part of 2020, Kohli signed two key partnerships — one with the edtech platform Great Learning and another with iQOO, a Chinese smartphone brand.
