The Indian cricketing world was recently stirred by a controversial statement by former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. While appearing on a Star Sports panel during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Harbhajan commented on the nature of fan loyalty in Indian cricket, which many interpreted as a veiled jab at Virat Kohli.
The statement from Harbhajan Singh that triggered the controversy
This incident occurred just before Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, an emotionally charged game as it was Kohli’s first appearance since announcing his surprise retirement from Test cricket.
The core of the controversy stems from Harbhajan’s assertion that MS Dhoni is perhaps the only Indian cricketer with a “real” fan base, while suggesting that many other players’ supporters exist mainly on social media and might even be paid. Speaking passionately, Harbhajan said, “If any cricketer has real fans, it’s Dhoni. The rest are paid,” He elaborated further, implying that Dhoni’s following is organic and emotionally connected, whereas the massive followings of others without directly naming anyone could be artificial, boosted by digital marketing and promotional tactics.
“If any cricketer has real fans, it’s Dhoni. The rest are paid. Kitna bacha hua hai aur jab tak dum hai khelo bhai. Meri team hoti to shayad main kuch aur decision leta. Aur seedhi si baat hai fan to chahenge kyunki unke fan jo hai. Mujhe lagta hai ki sabse zyada fan agar asal wale fan jo hai wo unke hi hai (CSK). Baaki to ye bane banaye hai jo aajkal social media aadha to paid hi chalta hai par ye inke fan jo hai wo asali hai. Inke jo fan hai wo sahi mein fan hai. Baaki yahan wahan jo aap number dekhte ho wo chhodiye number unke upar kabhi baithenge to charcha karenge. MS Dhoni iss baar dekhein to accha khele hain, theek thaak khele ( “He can play as long as he can. Had it been my team, I would have made a different decision. Fans will want him to continue playing. I feel he has a real fan base; the rest are all on social media, which are even paid fans. Leave them out, because if we start discussing that, the discussion will go in a different direction,”) Harbhajan said.
Was it aimed at Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli?
Though Harbhajan never explicitly mentioned Kohli, the subtext of his statement was hard to ignore. The timing further added fuel to the fire Kohli was scheduled to play his first IPL match since announcing his Test retirement, and RCB fans had planned to turn the Chinnaswamy into a sea of celebration. Unfortunately, rain washed out the game, but the overwhelming show of support from Kohli loyalists highlighted just how misplaced and dismissive Harbhajan’s remarks seemed to many.
A clip of the panel discussion went viral, particularly after being shared by a Kohli fan page with the caption:
“Harbhajan Singh indirectly targeted Virat fans as paid Instagram fans?,”
harbhajan singhin-directly Targeted Virat fans? as Paid instagram fans#chinnaswamystadium #RcbvsKkr pic.twitter.com/KYZygETjbP
— 👑 King Kohli Fan Page (@Hracingchannel) May 17, 2025
Twitter (now X), Instagram, and YouTube were flooded with angry reactions, memes, and debates. While some defended Harbhajan’s right to express an opinion, others saw it as an unnecessary provocation against a player who has consistently been one of India’s greatest ambassadors in cricket. Even Aakash Chopra, who was on the same panel, subtly tried to defuse the tension by remarking:
“Bhai, itna sach nahi bolna chahiye tha (You shouldn’t have spoken so much truth),”
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