If there is one thing that can set the Indian internet on fire faster than a Virat Kohli century, it is a single notification from his official Instagram account. The former Indian captain, who is currently busy with IPL 2026, recently found himself at the center of a “like-gate” scandal. It all started when eagle-eyed netizens noticed that Kohli had “liked” a photo of German model and influencer LizLaz.
Within minutes, screenshots were flying across Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. The situation became even more dramatic when the “like” suddenly disappeared, leading to a flood of memes about “algorithm glitches” and “Anushka bhabhi.” Now, LizLaz, the woman who suddenly became the most searched name in India, has finally shared her side of the story.
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Virat Kohli liked a photo of an influencer (by mistake obviously)
Yuzvendra Chahal commented “Algorithm” on that post. 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/IdxX4kbiZY
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) April 17, 2026
A surprising wake-up call for the influencer
For most of us, waking up involves checking emails or a quick scroll through the news. For LizLaz, it was a sudden plunge into global fame. Speaking about the incident, she expressed how surreal the experience was.
“It was crazy because I woke up and then I was all over the news,” she told Hindustan Times. Interestingly, she didn’t even see the notification herself. “I don’t even know when he liked the picture, I learnt through the news. So many people found the articles done on me on many different platforms and sent them to me in my DMs. I got so many messages today, people were super excited about it.”
LizLaz, whose real name is Jennifer, is no stranger to the digital world. With a Master’s degree in Psychology and a successful career as a vlogger and singer, she has built a loyal fanbase. However, nothing prepared her for the sheer scale of Indian cricket fans’ attention.
Feeling bad for Virat Kohli
When a global icon likes your photo and then quickly unlikes it, most people might feel a bit disappointed. But LizLaz’s reaction was surprisingly empathetic. Instead of being upset, she felt a sense of pity for the pressure Kohli faces.
“No, I felt a bit sorry for him actually!” she said. “I was so happy that he liked it, but then him unliking it, I felt a bit bad for him because I don’t even know how it became such a big story. How did people notice, how did they make it news… that was probably not his intention behind it, but still I am grateful for it and I appreciate the support from him.”
Her comments highlight a very real problem: the lack of privacy for public figures. A simple tap on a screen, which might be accidental or purely algorithmic, is turned into a national headline. She seems to understand that the “unliking” was likely a move to stop the unnecessary noise.
LizLaz connection to the RCB family
While the interaction seemed random to many, LizLaz actually has a deep connection with India, specifically Bengaluru. Her journey into the world of cricket started during a visit to the city in 2025. What was supposed to be a two-week stay turned into a months-long exploration of India. LizLaz said,
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“It was obviously the IPL last year, so I started watching with my Bangalorean friends. It was contagious. I was also becoming a Royal Challengers Bangalore fan. And obviously, if you support RCB, Virat Kohli is the most exciting player to watch. He’s just so good. So I was happy about him liking the picture,”
Her love for Indian culture is evident in her content, which ranges from her viral “Samosa Samosa” track to her videos trying out local delicacies in Mumbai and Chennai. She even mentioned that she is currently learning Hindi to better connect with her audience.
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When Kohli like on Avneet Kaur’s photos on Instagram became a controversy
This isn’t the first time Virat Kohli has faced the “accidental like” dilemma. Just last year, a similar incident occurred with actress Avneet Kaur. At the time, Kohli had to issue a formal clarification to calm the internet down.
He wrote back then,
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“I’d like to clarify that while clearing my feed, it appears the algorithm may have mistakenly registered an interaction. There was absolutely no intent behind it. I request that no unnecessary assumptions be made.”
While Kohli has yet to release a statement about the LizLaz incident, the internet has already recycled the “algorithm” excuse as a popular meme. Fans have been jokingly commenting “Algorithm 💀” and “Akaay ke haath se phone lo” on LizLaz’s posts.
Will we see this soon 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/IJ6yYO8Oii pic.twitter.com/PVnNANLlGR
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) April 17, 2026
LizLaz’s story is a classic example of how modern fame works. One second you are a creator making music in Germany, and the next, you are trending in a country of 1.4 billion people because of a single interaction.
The influencer is now looking at the bright side, noting that she has received numerous work queries from India. “If I get music opportunities in India, why not? Maybe I will visit again soon,” she said. It seems that while the “like” was short-lived, the impact on her career might be permanent.
