Virat Kohli becomes the 4th most followed sportsperson on Instagram; overtakes LeBron James

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli has overtaken American basketball legend LeBron James on the list of the most followed sportspersons on Instagram. The right-handed batsman, who is also the most followed Indian celebrity on the photo-sharing site, has 70.2 million followers on the platform.

Unlike many other cricketers, Virat Kohli has become a global celebrity with his fans present in all parts of the world. He is the face of modern-day cricket, and his consistent performances on the field have played a significant role in his rise.

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Virat Kohli's rise on and off the cricket field

Virat Kohli made his international debut in 2008 and in the last 12 years, he has amassed over 20,000 international runs for the Indian cricket team. The top-order batsman averages over 50 in all three formats, and he has scored 70 international centuries.

As per a recent release by Forbes, Virat Kohli attained the 66th position in the list of the highest-paid athletes. He earned a whopping $26 million in the last 12 months.

Thanks to his massive fan following on Instagram, Virat Kohli has collected numerous brand endorsement deals. According to GQ India, the Indian cricket team makes $296,000 per post on Instagram.

His fan base is just getting bigger day by day, as he has over seven crore followers now. Virat Kohli is only behind football stars Cristiano Ronaldo (232 million), Lionel Messi (161 million), and Neymar Jr. (140 million).

The lockdown period has allowed Virat Kohli to spend more time on Instagram. He has participated in various workout challenges as well as Instagram Live sessions during the COVID-19 break.

With IPL 2020 reportedly set to happen in the UAE later this year, the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli would be looking forward to ending his franchise's championship drought.