‘You want to make cricket popular but at Virat Kohli’s expense’: Irfan Pathan, Sunil Gavaskar slam Aussie media over for ‘Clown Kohli’ remark

Star batter Virat Kohli is known for his aggression on the field, the cricketer never holds back his emotions and often shows it on the field. During the ongoing boxing test that is happening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, senior Indian batter Virat Kohli faced backlash from the crowd after an on-field incident after he shoulder bumped the 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas on Day 1 of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The physical altercation unfolded during the opening session on Thursday.

It so happened that Kohli deliberately walked into Konstas, shoulder-barging the young Australian as he moved to the other end of the crease. The two players exchanged words before Australian opener Usman Khawaja and the on-field umpire stepped in to defuse the situation. The incident drew loud boos from the MCG crowd, which had otherwise warmly embraced Kohli throughout his career, including hailing his arrival in Perth as a potential swansong Down Under.

It didn’t stop there, young Australian opener Sam Konstas was also seen mimicking Team India batting star Virat Kohli’s shoulder bump to get the crowd going on day three of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). A video of the same surfaced on social media as the crowd cheered following the youngster’s gesture.

Following his shoulder bump incident with Australia debutant Sam Konstas, Kohli was labelled a “clown” by ‘The West Australian newspaper and was humiliated further with a caricature of his face drawn with a red nose.

Former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have not held back in expressing their fury over the portrayal of Virat Kohli in an Australian newspaper.

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan express their fury over the portrayal of Virat Kohli in an Australian newspaper

On Day 2 of the fourth Test, Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar stated that unless something is said now, such a trend of disrespecting Indian cricketers will continue in the Australian media.

“Australian newspapers, media and even some ex-cricketers are the definition of being two-faced. First, they go and call Virat Kohli the ‘King’, but the moment he shows some aggression, he is labelled in this way. Double standards,” Pathan said on Star Sports.

Irfan Pathan added, “None of us supported the incident, but we left it to the officials. But here, first, they’d call him the ‘King’ and then immediately call him a ‘Joker’ after that? You want to sell, you want to make cricket popular but at the expense of Virat Kohli’s market value? We will not accept this.”

Pathan gave an example of how he had been punished despite an argument and verbal abuse being thrown at him by former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn.

“When I got fined for the first time, I had just made a clap while Damien Martyn hurled an insult. But I was the one who could be seen on camera clapping, and I got fined. Damien Martyn escaped scot-free,” Pathan said.

“This is old news. It’s always ‘if we do it, it’s alright if you do it, it’s a crime’,” said Gavaskar.