On World Social Media Day, letâs talk about how the internet has become an integral part of our lives today. Be it expressing oneâs opinion on on-going issues, sharing information to help people on a mass scale or even making ridiculous videos just for the heck of it, days without social media seem to be impossible to bear.

This transformation has taken place over the past decade with people beginning to understand its true potential in the early 2010s and capitalising (some even abusing) it by 2019-2020. 

But before the era of digital media began to catch pace, there were certain individuals, certain members of the international cricketing fraternity who made it to Twitter well ahead of everyone else but werenât too sure of what to do once they were there. 

Here are the first tweets shared by international cricketers:

Virat Kohli

@yuvsingh09 Aiieeeeeee me too me too

â Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 4, 2009

Yes, Virat Kohliâs first tweet was a clearly excited reply to Yuvraj Singh who was looking forward to a match. 

Anil Kumble

Finally on Twitter...& on a day that am a yr older and hopefully wiser! Looking forward...cheers

â Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) October 17, 2014

Back in 2014, when former Indian head coach Anil Kumble entered the big bad world of Twitter, he wasnât too sure of how itâd help him. A couple of years later, he would drop a bomb on the same social media platform, presenting his resignation as coach publicly, while putting Kohli under spotlight.

Yuvraj Singh

Coming Soon !!!!

â Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) July 25, 2009

You know itâs 2009 when a cricketer teases his Twitter debut 

MS Dhoni

feels good to be connected!!!!!!!!

â Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) September 17, 2010

If Mahendra Singh Dhoniâs Twitter handle could speak, it would sound just as humble as the former Indian skipper himself. 

Sachin Tendulkar

Finally the original SRT is on twitter n the first thing I'd like to do is wish my colleagues the best in the windies,

â Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 4, 2010

The âgod of cricketâ made his arrival in style. âFinally the original SRT is on Twitter,â he said. In the same post, he also showed why he was Indiaâs beloved poster boy when it came to the game of cricket when he wished his team well ahead of a Windies tour. 

Ajinkya Rahane

Am in England now..Ready to have PLAY..

â Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) August 28, 2011

The deputy in-charge of Indiaâs Test team wanted to give an update to his fans. Ravichandra Ashwin

I wish i cud have been in chennai to join in my hands for the protests..INDIA is surely turning it around...

â Ashwin (During Covid 19)ð®ð³ (@ashwinravi99) August 20, 2011

Ashwin started his Twitter innings by showing his support towards the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare in 2011.

Virender Sehwag

Opening the Twitter innings!!! Yeh mera effort hai aap se directly connect karne ka. I am excited to start sharing and tweeting..

â Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 19, 2010

Sehwag made a promise almost 10 years ago and has kept it till date. He continues to be one of the most active people of social media and responds to his fans regularly. 

Harbhajan Singh

Hey, let's try this twitter thing :)

â Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) August 10, 2011

From trying out the âTwitter thingâ to dominating it, Harbhajan Singh has come a long way.

James Faulkner

@mitchmarsh235 @calferguson12 @tdpaine36 @beery19 It's a pleasure to be involved on Twitter with u boys!

â James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) June 15, 2011

The Aussie finally made his Twitter debut after his fans kept bugging him to do so for years. He finally gave up and wrote his first tweet, sharing pleasantries with his laddies. 

Shakib Al Hasan

tysey6ului7tsdtuyfd65

â Shakib Al Hasan (@Sah75official) June 1, 2010

Uh⦠Whatcha doin there, Shakib?

Dwayne Bravo

a

â Dwayne DJ Bravo (@DJBravo47) September 6, 2010

Yeah, just the letter âaâ. Neat, DJ. Very neat.

Chris Gayle

I'm heading to bed in 10mins!!

â Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) June 8, 2009

 Of course the âUniverse Bossâ wanted to announce his bedtime to the world in his first tweet. Classic!

Glenn McGrath

G'day everyone, first time tweeting. Thought it about time I joined the 21st century. Sitting at the airport on my way to Carnarvon, WA.

â Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) March 25, 2011

The Australian bowler was getting bored, waiting for his flight on a fine March morning and decided to do something new and he picked Twitter. 

Andrew Flintoff

No idea what I'm meant to do on this ! Going to mexico with goughie tomorrow I'm sure he'll know . Please help !

â Andrew Flintoff (@flintoff11) September 28, 2010

Absolute openness by Freddie, here. He had no idea what Twitter was and even asked his followers to help him get a sense of things.

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