Virat Kohli's Australian outing saw admiration turn into hostility in a matter of weeks. when Indian The cricket icon arrived in Perth last month, and local media celebrated his arrival enthusiastically. One leading publication even ran a Hindi headline, calling him the 'King' to captivate his huge Indian fan base. However, after an on-field altercation with Australian debutant Sam Konstas, Kohli now finds himself vilified by the same press.
Kohli vs Sam Konstas at the MCG
The controversy erupted during the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On the first day, at the end of the 10th over, Kohli and Konstas met – literally. As Konstas adjusted his gloves and moved to the opposite crease, Kohli's path led to an intentional bump. Tensions erupted immediately. Words flew between the veteran Indian player and the young Australian, forcing the referee to intervene and defuse the situation.
The match officials, including on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gove, found Kohli's conduct inappropriate. Match referee Andy Beecroft suggested penalties, which Kohli accepted without contest. “Virat Kohli “He was fined 20 percent of the match fee and given one demerit point,” the ICC’s official statement read. By accepting the punishment, Kohli avoided a formal hearing and further consequences.
Ricky Ponting criticizes ICC: Kohli's Boxing Day punishment is too lenient
while Australian Cricket circles condemned Kohli, and Indian fans rallied in his defence. Social media erupted with divided opinions, with some praising his aggressiveness as a competitive spirit and others questioning his judgement. The incident further inflamed the already intense rivalry between the two cricketing giants.
Australian newspaper Western Australia She did not hold back in her criticism. Using the headline “The Clown Kohli”, the article strongly criticized his actions. The slug under the knife led to a further twist: “The Indian was criticized for a pathetic bump in his teen dream test debut.” It is worth noting that the term “sook”, common in Tasmania, is equivalent to calling someone a coward or a crybaby.
Veteran Australian cricketers quickly joined in, with some demanding that Kohli be banned by the ICC. However, the governing body chose leniency. Kohli was fined 20% of the match fee and given a penalty point under Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
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