India’s batting superstar Virat Kohli found himself at the centre of controversy once again during the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday as his BGT campaign continued to be dominated by off-field issues.
Kohli, who has struggled for consistency since his century in Perth, managed 35 runs before falling victim to Scott Boland in the 43rd over. Yet, it was not just his dismissal that grabbed headlines.
As Kohli walked back to the pavilion amid loud boos from the MCG crowd, a video capturing the moment went viral on social media. The Indian star, visibly irked by comments from some spectators, paused mid-walk to confront them. Security personnel quickly intervened, escorting Kohli safely to the dressing room.
This is not the first incident involving Virat Kohli in the ongoing Test of the BGT. On the opening day, he came under fire for an altercation with Australia’s debutant opener, Sam Konstas. The incident occurred after the 10th over of Australia’s first innings when Kohli made physical contact with Konstas in front of a packed crowd of 90,000. The clash escalated into a brief verbal exchange before Australian opener Usman Khawaja stepped in to diffuse the situation.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) reviewed the collision under Article 2.12 of its Code of Conduct (CoC) and Kohli was fined 20% of his match fee and received one demerit point for the offense.
Kohli’s fiery demeanor and ability to polarize opinions have once again come to the forefront. While fans admire his passion, critics argue that such incidents overshadow the spirit of the game. As the series inches to a close, all eyes will remain on Kohli—not just for his batting but for his conduct.