Key Points

Twenty-one-year-old Manish Bisi, son of a local farmer, had purchased a new SIM card from a mobile shop in Deobhog on June 28, unaware that the number once belonged to Rajat Patidar, captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and one of the breakout stars of the 2025 IPL season.

Upon activating WhatsApp, Manish and his friend Khemraj noticed Patidar’s profile photo but dismissed it as a technical glitch.

Their disbelief turned to astonishment when calls began pouring in from individuals identifying themselves as Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Yash Dayal.

Initially convinced it was an elaborate prank, the duo played along—until Patidar himself called on July 15, requesting the return of his number.

Even then, they remained skeptical, until a police team arrived at their doorstep minutes later. A senior police officer confirmed that the number had been reassigned to Manish following 90 days of inactivity, in accordance with standard telecom policy.

Patidar, having lost access to his WhatsApp and team communications, had approached the Madhya Pradesh Cyber Cell, which traced the number to Gariaband.

With the family’s consent, the SIM was returned without legal complication. For Manish and Khemraj, the experience was surreal. Khemraj, an ardent Kohli admirer, recounted the thrill of speaking to his idol.

“When AB de Villiers called, he spoke in English—we couldn’t understand a word, but we were ecstatic,” he said.

Manish’s brother Deshbandhu described the episode as “something out of a dream,” noting that in a village of RCB fans, speaking to cricket legends was beyond imagination.

Though fleeting, the episode has etched itself into local lore—a moment when a humble SIM card bridged the distance between a remote village and the pantheon of Indian cricket.

- IANS