RCB captain Rajat Patidar’s old phone number gets reassigned to Chhattisgarh teen; boys receive calls from Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

Indian cricketer Rajat Patidar recently faced an unusual situation involving his old mobile number, two young cricket fans, and local police intervention.

According to an NDTV report, Patidar’s old mobile number, the one in question, was inactive for over 90 days, and was reassigned by his telecom provider. The number was purchased by a teenager named Manish from Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh, who activated it with a Jio SIM card in late June.

After activating the number, Manish and his friend Khemraj noticed the WhatsApp profile still showed Rajat Patidar’s photo. Further, they received calls from famous cricketers, including Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, who were trying to contact Patidar.

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Unaware of the number’s past owner, the boys were surprised. Later, Patidar contacted Manish directly and asked for the number back, explaining that it was important for his communication with coaches, teammates, and close contacts.

However, Manish and Khemraj didn’t believe it was really Patidar. They said, “And we’re MS Dhoni,” and refused the request. Patidar then warned the teenagers of legal action.

Within ten minutes, local police arrived at Manish’s house, after which the boys returned the SIM card. Khemraj said the experience was unforgettable. “I got to speak to Kohli because of a wrong number. My life’s goal is complete,” NDTV quoted Khemraj.

A guy from Chhattisgarh purchased a new sim which turned out to be Rajat Patidar’s old number. – He received calls from Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers, but after Patidar informed the Police, the man returned the sim. pic.twitter.com/Hqrl2fcek5 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 10, 2025

The incident quickly caught the Internet’s attention, prompting a range of reactions. “Imagine buying a new sim and getting calls from Virat and ABD (crying emojis),” a user wrote. “What a wild twist! From random sim purchase to getting calls from Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Glad the man did the right thing and returned it after Patidar’s complaint — truly a once-in-a-lifetime mix-up!” another user commented.

“It seems like Patidar is misusing his celebrity status! What’s the guy’s fault if he ended up with Patidar’s old SIM? Patidar didn’t even inform ABD and VK about his new number,” a third user reacted.

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