Virat Kohli, India’s star batter, lost his temper with a fan after being seemingly provoked as he made his way back to the dressing room following his dismissal on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test on Friday. Kohli had looked in excellent form during his innings, showing solid concentration, particularly in leaving deliveries outside the off-stump.
However, the run-out of Yashasvi Jaiswal appeared to throw Kohli off balance, and he followed it up with a nick off a delivery outside the off-stump, getting dismissed for 36.
As Kohli made his way off the field after a gritty 86-ball knock, the Australian crowd greeted him with boos. While Kohli remained composed at first, a remark from an Australian spectator seemed to rile him. He turned around and started walking back toward the fan, visibly agitated.
It took an official intervening and placing a hand on Kohli’s shoulder to calm him down and guide him back to the dressing room, encouraging him to ignore the taunts.
Kohli had already been under scrutiny from Australian fans after a controversial incident with Sam Konstas on Day 1. The two had a physical altercation, including a shoulder bump during Konstas’ time at the crease, followed by a heated exchange. Usman Khawaja stepped in to defuse the situation.
Virat Kohli almost recreated that incident with a CSK fan at Wankhede 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/35qDBKxuv3
— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) December 27, 2024
As a result of his actions, the 36-year-old Kohli was fined 20% of his match fees. The incident has sparked calls from Australian media and former cricketers like Ricky Ponting for a harsher punishment for Kohli.