Chhattisgarh youth buys SIM, gets surprise calls from Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers!

Imagine buying a new SIM card and suddenly finding your phone buzzing with calls from celebrities. Sounds like a scene straight out of a dream, right? But for one youth from Chhattisgarh, this surreal experience turned into reality when, after purchasing a new SIM, he began receiving calls from cricket icons like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and several others.

The Mystery Behind the Celebrity Calls

The youth, identified as Manish Bisi, 21, a resident of Madagaon village in Gariaband district, purchased a SIM card. However, due to a technical glitch, he was allotted an old mobile number of international cricketer Rajat Patidar. This resulted in a flurry of unexpected calls from cricket stars, including Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, and AB de Villiers.

The incident came to light when he began receiving calls from the players. The number, inactive for nearly six months, was re-allotted to Manish in a routine process, said Gariaband SP Nikhil Rakhecha.

The SP said, “It was a WhatsApp number and had probably not been in use for the last six months. As per company rules, a number that remains unused for over six months is allotted to other customers, which might have led to the allotment to the Devbhog youth. We have now returned the number to cricketer Rajat Patidar.”

From Glitch to Cricket Connection

Manish, an ardent Virat Kohli fan, purchased the new SIM from a Devbhog mobile shop in late June. About a week later, his friend Khemraj helped him set up WhatsApp, and to their surprise, the profile picture automatically showed Patidar’s photo, a quirk they initially dismissed as a glitch.

However, soon, calls began flooding in from people claiming to be Kohli, AB de Villiers, and other players, all addressing him as 'Rajat'. Believing it to be a prank, the youths went along with the conversations for nearly 15 days.

Police Intervention and a Memorable Ending

The situation took a serious turn when Patidar, unable to retrieve his old number, approached the Madhya Pradesh Cyber Cell. They, in turn, coordinated with Gariaband police, who visited the village, seized the SIM, and returned it to Patidar.

Both young men, die-hard cricket enthusiasts, described the incident as an unforgettable experience and said they hoped to meet Patidar in person someday.

Notably, Patidar represents Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket and is the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.