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Virat Kohli fan lifts iconic No. 18 jersey at graduation ceremony in US; video goes viral: ‘269 Signing Off’
Kohli, who began his Test journey in 2011, stunned fans by announcing his retirement through a heartfelt social media post on May 12, 2025.
University of Missouri–Kansas City’s graduation ceremony shows a student, Dinesh Kyama, making a gesture by holding up Kohli’s iconic No 18 Test jersey.
Even though veteran cricketer Virat Kohli may have stepped away from Test cricket, the admiration for him has not faded one bit. A recent video from the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s graduation ceremony shows a student, Dinesh Kyama, making a gesture for the cricket legend by holding up Kohli’s iconic No 18 Test jersey. As his name echoed through the auditorium, Kyama walked across the stage, proudly raised the jersey in front of a cheering crowd, before receiving his certificate. At the end of the clip he posed with the jersey, beaming with joy – an act that instantly struck a chord with fellow fans and attendees alike.
The moment was shared on Instagram with the caption “269 Signing Off,” a direct nod to the emotional words Kohli used in his own retirement post.
Watch the video:
View this post on Instagram
Alongside the video, Kyama also posted a series of pictures with the jersey in collaboration with fellow Kohli admirer and superfan Pintu Behera, who runs the Instagram account ‘virat18superfan’. The post quickly went viral, with fans flooding the comments section with praise.
View this post on Instagram
One person wrote, “Bro u r now successfully graduated,” while another said, “Every Virat fan dreams.” Someone else added, “Congratulations, brother. This is the best tribute.”
Kohli, who began his Test journey in 2011, stunned fans by announcing his retirement through a heartfelt social media post: “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.”
What made the farewell bittersweet was the absence of a final match or official send-off. Fans, determined to honour him in their own way, tried paying tribute during an IPL game against Kolkat Knight Riders at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium by donning white Test jerseys. Some even sold them outside the venue. Sadly, the plan was washed out—literally—as rain poured down, dampening the tribute.
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