A rapid half-century from Sam Konstas at the top of the order, followed by a composed 57 from Usman Khawaja and 72 from Marnus Labuschagne, left India struggling at 176/2 at Tea. The tension was palpable at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the Boxing Day atmosphere in full swing.
As the stakes rose, one player who consistently thrives in such moments is Virat Kohli. Fired up, the Indian veteran charged around in the field, and midway through the second session, he clashed with Sam Konstas, exchanging heated words.
Kohli then fired an unnecessary throw at Marnus Labuschagne, who was standing innocently nearby. The crowd immediately responded with boos, and the tension escalated as the confrontation reached its peak in the 59th over.
Steve Smith edged a back-of-a-length delivery from Akash Deep past the slip cordon, prompting Kohli to chase the ball down. The 35-year-old sprinted with youthful energy and made a dramatic dive to save a run for his team.
However, as he retrieved his glasses beyond the boundary ropes, the crowd erupted with jeers, and Kohli shot back with a few words of his own.
Kohli's got no chillðŸ˜ðŸ¤£.
— Utkarsh (@toxify_x18) December 27, 2024
Virat kohli provoking Aussies to cry louder. These boo's won't give a sh!t to him Aussie dog's.😹pic.twitter.com/PslAo88a1m
— DJ Sinha (@sdj374531) December 26, 2024
The exchange only fueled the crowd’s reaction, with the boos intensifying and the cheers growing louder, perfectly capturing the charged atmosphere of the Boxing Day Test, as seen through the eyes of Twitterati.