Here's Why MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Loses Millions of Instagram Followers Overnight

Not just some top Indian cricketers, but also several global icons were stunned after noticing a sudden drop in their Instagram followers, as the platform carried out a major cleanup update. The unexpected decline affected some of the best cricketers in the world, wiping out millions of followers within hours.

The sharp change was not linked to controversy or public backlash, but rather to Instagram removing inactive and suspicious accounts during its latest system update. High-profile names of Indian cricket, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, were not left out of this app update.

Why did Virat Kohli Instagram Followers Drop?

The sharp decline in follower numbers was reportedly caused by Instagram’s large-scale removal of fake, inactive, and spam profiles from the platform. As a result, several celebrities experienced noticeable drops in their audience count within a short span of time.

A spokesperson from Meta clarified that the change was part of the company’s regular maintenance activity aimed at improving authenticity across the app. The statement explained that only non-genuine accounts were being cleared, while real and active followers would not be impacted. It also noted that if suspended accounts are later restored after review, they would once again be added to follower totals.

Data shared by Celebrity Radar, a platform that monitors social media statistics of public figures, showed that one of the most famous cricketers in the world, Virat Kohli, lost nearly 2 million followers. As per the estimate, MS Dhoni Instagram followers got reduced by 3.6 lakhs, and Rohit Sharma Instagram followers saw a drop of 2.8 lakhs.

List of Other Global Icons To Lose Instagram Followers

Some of the platform’s most-followed global figures were hit by the app update. High-profile names across sports, music, and entertainment witnessed noticeable drops in their follower counts.

Football superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lost approximately 8 million and 4 million followers, respectively. Ronaldo’s count fell from 673 million to 665 million, while Messi’s declined from 512 million to 507 million. Among all celebrities, Kylie Jenner experienced the biggest drop. She reportedly lost close to 15 million followers, making her the most impacted figure in this app cleanup.

Pop sensation Taylor Swift, who reached billionaire status, also saw a reduction of around 4 million followers. Her current Instagram following stands at 275 million, placing her just ahead of Virat Kohli.