Indian cricketer Rajat Patidar found himself in a unique predicament involving his old mobile number, two cricket fans from Chhattisgarh, and the local police. The situation began as a simple telecom issue but quickly evolved into an amusing and slightly chaotic incident.
Patidar’s old mobile number, after being unused for over 90 days, was reallocated by the service provider, adhering to telecom guidelines. A young man named Manish, residing in the Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh, became the new subscriber after activating the number with a Reliance Jio SIM in late June.
Shortly after activating the number, Manish and his friend Khemraj were taken by surprise upon seeing Rajat Patidar’s WhatsApp display picture. While initially amused, confusion ensued when they began receiving calls from high-profile cricketers like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
Not comprehending the importance of the situation, the two friends treated the calls as a prank or an unusual coincidence.
The situation escalated when Patidar himself contacted the number, requesting the return of the SIM. He clarified the importance of the number for communicating with coaches, teammates, and personal contacts. However, Manish and Khemraj questioned his identity, jokingly responding with, “And we’re MS Dhoni!”, convinced that it was a prank.
Feeling frustrated, Patidar warned the duo that he would involve the police. Within minutes, local police officers arrived at Manish’s house, confirming the seriousness of the matter. Upon understanding the situation, the young men fully cooperated, handing over the SIM card to Patidar through the correct channels.
Despite the unfolding events, Khemraj found a silver lining, stating, “I got to speak to Kohli because of a wrong number. My life’s goal is complete.”