Rajat Patidar’s police call sparks confusion involving Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers
Indian cricketer Rajat Patidar recently became embroiled in an unusual situation involving his old mobile number, two cricket fans from Chhattisgarh, and the police. What started as a seemingly routine telecom reassignment quickly turned into a bizarre sequence of events, ultimately prompting the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain to involve local law enforcement. As per reports, Patidar’s previous mobile number had been inactive for over 90 days, prompting his telecom provider to deactivate and reassign it in accordance with standard policy. The number was later acquired by a boy named Manish from Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh, who activated it using a Reliance Jio SIM card in late June.
Upon activating the number, Manish and his friend Khemraj were surprised to see Rajat Patidar’s photograph still showing up as the WhatsApp profile picture—leftover data from when Patidar owned the number. Curious and excited to be linked in some way to a professional cricketer, the duo began reaching out to Patidar’s acquaintances and sharing the number on social media, claiming it belonged to the cricketer. This led to a flood of unsolicited calls and messages, disrupting Patidar’s privacy and prompting him to report the matter to the police. The situation highlighted a strange side-effect of telecom number recycling.
Soon after Manish activated the reassigned mobile number, unexpected calls began pouring in from well-known names in the cricketing world—including Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers—trying to reach Rajat Patidar. Confused but amused, Manish and his friend Khemraj were initially unaware of the number’s former owner and found the situation humorous, thinking it was a bizarre coincidence.
However, things took a serious turn when Patidar himself called the number, hoping to reclaim it. He explained that the number had long been tied to his professional and personal life, serving as a vital link to his coaches, teammates, and close contacts. Despite his explanation, the two boys remained unconvinced. Responding playfully, they said, “And we’re MS Dhoni,” dismissing the caller as an impersonator and refusing to believe it was really Patidar on the line.
Realizing that persuasion alone wouldn’t work, Patidar reportedly issued a firm warning: “Okay, I’ll send the cops.” Within ten minutes, local police arrived at Manish’s home in Gariaband to verify the situation. Upon understanding the seriousness of the matter, both Manish and Khemraj quickly cooperated, handing over the SIM card without resistance. The incident came to a swift and peaceful resolution—but not without its share of drama.
“I got to speak to Kohli because of a wrong number. My life’s goal is complete,” said Khemraj.
