Here's why Virat Kohli blocked Glenn Maxwell on Instagram

Australia's Glenn Maxwell has shared a funny story about how Indian cricket star Virat Kohli once blocked him on Instagram. The two players, who have now forged a close friendship  after playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, didn't always get along.

When RCB bought Maxwell for INR 14.25 crore ahead of IPL 2021 season, he had an impressive run, scoring over 500 runs and helping the team reach the playoffs.

Maxwell, Kohli, and former RCB player AB de Villiers formed a powerful trio in the IPL, with their friendship was evident on the field. However, there was a time when things weren't so friendly between them.

In an interview in October 2024, Maxwell opened up about how Kohli had once blocked him on Instagram after an on-field incident in 2017. When he joined RCB, he tried to follow Kohli on Instagram but couldn't find his profile.

Maxwell recalled, "When I knew I was going to RCB, Virat was the first guy to message me and welcome me to the team. When I arrived for the pre-IPL training camp, we started chatting and spent a lot of time training together. Then I thought of following him on social media, but I couldn't find his profile."

He continued, "I thought maybe he wasn't active on Instagram, but then someone told me that if you can't find someone, it usually means they've blocked you. I was like, 'Surely not!'"

"Then I went and asked him, 'Have you blocked me on Instagram?' And he was like, 'Yeah, probably. It was when you mocked me during that Test match. I think I got the sh* and decided to block you.'** I was like, 'Yeah, that's fair enough.' So, he unblocked me, and we became great friends after that," Maxwell shared with a laugh.

Despite their past differences, the two have since developed a strong friendship and played key roles in RCB's success. However, after a disappointing IPL 2024 season, where Maxwell managed just 52 runs, his stint with RCB came to an end.

Maxwell is now set to play for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.