Screenshot of Gukesh’s post on Instagram
The light-hearted interaction comes at a time when Gukesh has been under the spotlight after a challenging period at the top level.The reigning world champion endured a difficult 2026 so far. And criticism has followed subsequently.The results have added to the pressure surrounding Gukesh as he prepares for his first World Championship title defence.In one of his recent interviews, Gukesh spoke openly about the expectations that come with being world champion and the pressure he puts on himself.He admitted that his desire to win, which has long been one of his biggest strengths, can sometimes work against him.The youngster also acknowledged that finding motivation after achieving his biggest goal has not always been easy.For now, though, Gukesh appears to be taking the online noise in his stride. Rather than reacting to the criticism, he chose to turn one troll’s dare into a joke and reminded his followers that even a world champion can have some fun with the haters.