Virat Kohli found himself at the centre of controversy during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) for reasons that had little to do with his batting prowess. The series saw the former Indian captain criticized for his on-field behaviour, starting with an incident involving Australian debutant Sam Konstas. Kohli’s shoulder bump during the match in Melbourne sparked outrage, with Australian media labelling him a “clown.”
The situation escalated as crowds at the Melbourne Test and the series finale in Sydney booed him relentlessly, further souring the atmosphere. Virat Kohli, positioned in the slips during the Sydney Test, responded to the taunts by gesturing to the crowd, implying he wasn’t carrying sandpaper in his pockets—a clear dig referencing Australia’s infamous ball-tampering scandal.
However, his actions only fueled the hostility. Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim criticized Kohli’s conduct, stating that such behaviour was unbecoming of a senior player.
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“Virat Kohli’s behavior during the series crossed a line. As a veteran, he should be setting an example. While there were a couple of questionable decisions, they came from neutral umpires, not Australian ones. If there are concerns about technology, those discussions should happen with the ICC or broadcasters, not through such actions on the field,” Saba Karim remarked during a conversation with Sports Next.
Kohli’s struggles with the bat added to the narrative. Despite a century in the opening Test, he managed just 190 runs across the series, with only 90 coming from his last 10 innings. Karim emphasized that Kohli’s response to criticism should have come through his performance rather than provocative gestures.
“To fight on the ground, one must rely on runs, wickets, and match-winning contributions,” Saba Karim said, citing examples of standout performers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. “Unnecessary aggression has no place; let your bat do the talking. Kohli had an opportunity to silence critics with his game but fell short of doing so.”
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As Kohli faces mounting scrutiny, the focus shifts to how he channels his renowned passion and aggression into constructive performances in future outings. For now, the series remains a bittersweet chapter in his storied career.
