March 28: In triumph and disaster, Virat Kohli treats the Internet impostors just the same and, which is more, stays the loyal boyfriend. Or ex-boyfriend.

A day after his masterly stroke-play against Australia, the cricketer has charmed India all over again by standing up for actress Anushka Sharma against social media trolls.

Just like a year ago when, after the World Cup defeat to the same opponents, he had batted for his then girlfriend against online brats blaming her for his poor form and India's exit.

This time, building on the same theme of her jinxing her beau, they had thanked her for the victory. Samples:

•  "Thanks A Lot To Anushka Sharma For Leaving Virat Kohli... And Playing A Crucial Role In India's Fabulous Victory...";

•  "And above all max credit to @AnushkaSharma Thanks for taking one for the country...we are all indebted forever #IndvsAus #viratkohli..."

Kohli's reply came rasping like one of his cover drives.

"Shame on those people who have been having a go at anushka for the longest time and connecting every negative thing to her. Shame on those people calling themselves educated. Shame on blaming and making fun of her when she has no control over what i do with my sport," the Instagram post said.

"If anything she has only motivated and given me more positivity.... Have some compassion and respect her. Think of how your sister or girlfriend or wife would feel if someone trolled them and very conveniently rubbished them in public. #nocompassion#nocommonsense."

Cue for a flood of laudatory messages such as: "Luv u Virat"... "U r awesome virat"... "Real man"... "Ex ho to aisa"....

But the man wasn't done. Next came the tweet: "Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity."

Another round of applause from fans:

• "@imVkohli Yesterday slapped Australia with the bat today slapped those who trolled Anushka with words";

• "Fine man @imVkohli I admire you for reasons other than cricketing genius" (journalist Barkha Dutt);

• "Proud of you @imVkohli you are a champ" (actress Dia Mirza).

There was no word from Anushka, busy juggling Karan Johar's Diwali release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Id biggie Sultan opposite Salman Khan. She has been silent on Twitter since March 24 and hasn't posted anything on cricket or Kohli for months.

Last March, the sight of Anushka watching from the stands as India collapsed against Australia had prompted a torrent of social media abuse. Asked about this during an interview with Ebela, an ABP Group publication, Kohli had jumped to his lady love's defence.

"She had no relevance to the defeat. She only has a positive effect on me. But people found her guilty. Strange!... If the same thing had been said about their wives or their girlfriends or their partners, how would they feel? How could you blame her for my failure?" the cricketer had said.

Holding Anushka's arm, he had added: "If someone is special to me, I'm going to protect her.... You can't sit quietly when such things are being said about your girlfriend or partner.... If something is so special and pure to me, I'll go out of my way to back it and protect her. I have absolutely no hesitation about it."

Kohli's protective instincts seem not to have dimmed although he and Anushka are no longer seen together. Reports of a rift had surfaced when he unfollowed her on Instagram last month.

While neither has said anything about it in public, sources close to the couple have confirmed the split.

Apparently, Virat was in a hurry to tie the knot but Anushka was in no mood to slow down during what has been her best phase as actress and producer - just like it has been for him as cricketer.

The two of them have never been seen together since, nor has Anushka come to watch any Team India match for the past year. She is believed to have called and congratulated Kohli after his match-winning Eden knock against Pakistan on March 19, though, fuelling talk about a patch-up.

And now comes Virat the knight in shining armour, slaying the troll dragon and earning respect as the only Indian male celebrity in recent memory to publicly stand up for his ex.

His "super ex" act has shown up another star, "silly ex" Hrithik Roshan, whose mudslinging with former girlfriend Kangana Ranaut has spilled into the law courts. Throw into the mix the cricketer's Women's Day post three weeks ago, and it can only add to the growing legend of Virat Kohli, 27.

"All the women and the young girls out there, sorry for the jerks, the whistlers, the cat callers, the blank callers, the wont stop starers, the "frandship" stalkers, the "accidental" brushers, the glass ceiling makers," he had posted, "Please dont let them ruin it for the rest of us. Happy Womens Day. #respect#compassion."

Take a bow, Virat Kohli: #RealMard#LikeABoss#SuperEx.

Or, "which is more", as a certain poet might have said, "a man, my son".