In a moment that felt more like a “glitch in the matrix” than a standard fan interaction, Virat Kohli came face-to-face with his own childhood doppelganger ahead of the recently-concluded first ODI between India and New Zealand at the Kotambi Stadium. The uncanny resemblance between the former Indian captain and 8-year-old Garvit Uttam has since sent social media into a frenzy, with Kohli himself leading the laughter.
One shout that caught Virat Kohli’s attention
In a new viral interview, the young fan has opened up about the interaction, confirming that Kohli not only acknowledged the resemblance but affectionately gave him a new nickname. Recalling the incident, Garvit revealed that he didn’t do anything extraordinary to grab Kohli’s attention. All it took was a single call of his idol’s name. To his amazement, Kohli instantly turned around and looked in his direction, a moment that left the young fan frozen with excitement.
According to Garvit, Kohli walked over, greeted him warmly, and assured him that he would return after finishing his drills. True to his word, the former Indian captain came back, but not before sharing a laugh with his teammates about the uncanny resemblance.
“I like Kohli’s style and aura. I just shouted his name once and he looked back at me. He came over, said hi and told me that he would return in a while,” said Garvit in a viral video shared on X.
When Kohli calls his young fan ‘Chota Cheeku’
Garvit revealed that Kohli first pointed him out to star Indian opener Rohit Sharma, jokingly saying that his “duplicate” was sitting in the stands. The light-hearted remark quickly spread smiles within the Indian camp and perfectly summed up Kohli’s relaxed mood during the session.
When Kohli finally approached the young fan, he affectionately called him ‘Chhota Cheeku,’ a nod to his own childhood nickname, Cheeku. The interaction soon turned into a memorable meet-and-greet, complete with autographs, photographs, and shared laughter.
“He then went to Rohit Sharma and told him, ‘there’s my duplicate over there’. He called me chhota cheeku,” added Garvit.
Meeting India’s biggest stars
For Garvit, the day became even more special as he got the chance to meet several Indian cricketers in one go. Apart from Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the young fan also interacted with KL Rahul and Arshdeep Singh, ticking off a dream list that many fans only imagine.
“I met KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Arshdeep Singh and Rohit Sharma,” young Garvit added further.
Virat Kohli said to Rohit Sharma, “Wha dekh Mera duplicate betha hai (Look, my duplicate is sitting there)”.
– Virat Kohli called him a Chota Cheeku 😭❤️ pic.twitter.com/b4r1DopMUa
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 12, 2026
