Anil Kumble breaks silence after fake quotes on Virat Kohli’s form, Rohit Sharma’s captaincy spark social media outrage

Former Indian captain Anil Kumble has issued a strong statement against the misuse of his name and image on social media during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which has sparked controversy with the circulation of fabricated quotes. Fake statements attributed to Kumble were shared widely online ahead of, and during the third Test of the series, which prompted the Indian bowling legend to break silence.

These quotes targeted Virat Kohli‘s form, as well as Rohit Sharma‘s captaincy, and sparked unnecessary social media outrage, adding to the noise surrounding the high-stakes series between India and Australia. However, Kumble made it clear that he had no association with these quotes and distanced himself from the accounts peddling this misinformation.

“It has come to my attention that some social media accounts are using my image and attributing fabricated quotes to me. I want to categorically deny any association with these accounts and their content. The statements being circulated are not my views and do not reflect my opinions in any way,” Kumble wrote on X.

“I urge everyone to be vigilant and not believe everything they see on social media. Please verify the authenticity of any information before sharing it. My official social media channels are the only reliable source for my views and statements.

The iconic former spinner’s statement came amid the third Test match between India and Australia, with India facing an uphill task after ending Day 3 at a fragile 51/4 in response to Australia’s 445-run total.

Gavaskar spoke against similar issue

The issue of fake news in the cricketing world has been growing, with prominent figures like Sunil Gavaskar also being targeted by such nuisance. In fact, Gavaskar recently found himself in a similar situation when a website published a fake column under his name.

Gavaskar swiftly called out the article as fabricated, threatening legal action against the website. His move was in line with Kumble’s call to action for fans to critically assess the information they consume on social media, particularly during significant events like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.