Former Australia player Kerry O’Keeffe apologized to Virat Kohli for referring him as “arrogant” during the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Kerry O’Keeffe had criticized Kohli’s bumping into Australian debutant Sam Konstas on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as well.
However, Australian media has targeted Virat Kohli in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 and now he is in the middle of yet another controversy after his shoulder barge with Sam Konstas as well. Kohli was also slammed by Australian legends Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, and others as well.
After Kohli’s incident with Konstas on Day 1, Kerry O’Keeffe slammed “built his entire career on arrogance.” He further shared that Virat Kohli couldn’t handle another young player matching his intensity.
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“Kohli has built his entire career on arrogance. Kohli has built his whole career on arrogance. Suddenly, he identified that in a debutant and seemed to resent it,” O’Keeffe said on Thursday, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
However, Virat Kohli was charged by the ICC for his shoulder bump with Sam Konstas. The ICC also fined Kohli 20% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, specifically Article 2.12, which addresses “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).” Kohli also received one demerit point, and it was his first offence within 24 months as well.
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“I want to apologise for calling Virat Kohli’s behaviour arrogance. I shouldn’t have said that. He has got a swagger and plays his cricket like that. I think when he saw another player showing swagger like him, he got a bit annoyed and reacted in that fashion. Kohli is a passionate cricketer and his aggression is what makes him a competitive cricketer,” said O’Keeffe.
