Virat Kohli's life-size statue at Times Square is not real, but a CGI gimmick
Amid the ongoing T20 Men's World Cup 2024, Virat Kohli's buzzworthy streak in the US manifests into a life-size statue at Times Square, but there's a catch.
Indian maverick batter Virat Kohli's popularity isn't restricted to the borders of his national homeland. An Indian brand made waves on the international front, expressing its love for the charismatic all-rounder star by unveiling a computer-generated image (CGI) video of his life-size statue at New York's Times Square.
The viral video, posted ahead of the June 24 India vs Australia Super Eight T20 World Cup match, created massive online buzz. Kohli's fans sounded the alarm of their euphoric celebrations after learning that their favourite cricket star had taken over NYC's iconic hustling-bustling landmark, Times Square. However, this clip, depicting a larger-than-life vision of the player manifesting into a grand gold statue, does not picture reality.
Kohli's long-standing position as a brand ambassador of the mattress company Duroflex breathed life into this exceptionally outstanding promotional campaign that pushed the now-viral CGI clip. Initially catching the Kohli fan club by surprise, Duroflex left many scratching their heads, questioning the video's credibility. Either way, the campaign effectively raised the “What If?” scenario as Kohli's fans mulled over the idea of an actual statue memorialising his grandeur.
Hailing him the “King,” as he's commonly recognised among his fans, Duroflex wrote on X/Twitter: "Just Unveiled: A larger-than-life statue of Virat Kohli at the iconic Times Square.
This King's Duty, we are going global and making history!
We’re delivering great sleep and great health to Virat Kohli."
Also read | American swimmer's awesome balancing swim goes viral again | Watch
Watch viral CGI video of Viral Kohli's lifesize statue at NYC's Times Square
Fans' overwhelming support for the global superstar ensued in the comments, with an endless stream of Kohli lovers proclaiming him the “GOAT," “King Kohli-Global Sportstar” and “God of cricket.”
Also read | Donald Trump visits Philly eatery and drops $500 tip, crowd interaction reveals possible VP name
Virat Kohli's decent innings continued well into India's Super 8 qualification. The Super Eight match between India and Australia officially kicked off in St Lucia on Monday. Despite looming fears of rains threatening the Titans' clash, the game began without any delays, with Australia winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. This marked the first time the two countries faced each other since India lost to Australia during the ODI World Cup Final.
Ultimately, India flipped the picture around, defeating Australia by 24 runs and qualifying for the semi-final against England. India finished 205/5, with team captain Rohit Sharma swinging out a massive innings of 92 runs in just 42 balls.
Cricket fandom is also rife with speculation that the former Indian captain and the current captain, Rohit Sharma, may retire from the international T20 format after this World Cup. This could reportedly be the smashing duo's last dance, after all.
Kohli's dependability has not only translated into his indomitable power stance as an indispensable member of Team India's T20 World Cup 2024 lineup but also into his status as one of the cricketing world's greats over the last decade.
The original article, posted on June 24, erroneously stated that an actual life-size statue of Virat Kohli had been installed at Times Square. However, a subsequently edited version (June 28) noted that it was a CGI video shared by Duroflex as part of its new promotion campaign.
