Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket star who is a household name in India and Australia, was at the center of controversy during the Day 2 India vs. Australia Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for 2024-25 at Melbourne Cricket Ground. A section of Australian fans booed the 36-year-old batter as he returned to his dressing room following dismissal. This incident has generated a lot of interest from around the globe.
Kohli, who is regarded as one of cricket’s finest batsmen of modern times, didn’t treat the reaction of the crowd lightly. Kohli, who was visibly upset as he walked off the pitch, returned halfway through the tunnel and confronted some fans to the left of the stand. Sources claim that the fans made insulting remarks towards the former Indian captain. Kohli’s response, which was interrupted later by a police official, has been captured on video. It quickly became viral.
Kohli’s day wasn’t without tension. He had been booed earlier by the crowd when he went out to bat following the Tea Break, which further tested his patience.
A Day 1 incident overshadows the match drama.
This altercation comes after another incident that occurred on Day 1 at the Boxing Day test when Australian debutant Sam Konstas had criticized Kohli for a heated moment. Kohli was labeled a clown by certain segments of Australian media after he nudged the young Aussie. A headline in the West Australian called “Clown Kohli” sparked the debate, and a cartoon of Kohli further fueled the fire.
Virat Kohli almost recreated that incident with a CSK fan at Wankhede 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/35qDBKxuv3
— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) December 27, 2024
The International Cricket Council also reprimanded Kohli for his actions on Day 1. The batter received a fine of 20% of the match fee for violating the ICC Code of Conduct Level 1. He also got one demerit. In a statement, the ICC confirmed that Kohli had accepted Andy Pycroft’s sanction and that no formal hearing would be required.
Update on the match between India and Australia in the 4th test
In cricket, India was 164/5 at the end of Day 2 after 46 overs. This is a far cry from Australia’s 474-run first innings total. On Day 3, India will resume its innings with Rishabh Pan and Ravindra Jadeja in the hope of closing the gap by 310 runs.
India’s attempt to make a comeback continues with cricket fans all over the world. The match is action-packed but masked by some off-field incidents.
