Virat Kohli is widely regarded as one of the finest batsmen of the current generation. With his brilliant leadership skills and big-hitting ability in international cricket, Virat has impressed one and all. However, he has been involved in unnecessary controversies. Time and again, Virat has shown his anger on the field.
Lashing out at reporter
Every time Virat Kohli has failed to meet the expectations of the Indian cricket fanatics in international games, people have targeted his wife Anushka Sharma. This is something that has brought the devil out of the skipper. Virat went after one of the reporters who he thought had written a misleading article on Anushka Sharma. However, he was not the same man and Virat had to apologize for his grave mistake. The ICC warned Virat Kohli for his wrongful behavior.
Middle Finger Gesture
Cricket is a game of strength, talent, enthusiasm, and high-end emotions. Cricketers often use their facial expressions or gestures to show their emotions on the field. But players have often landed in problems due to their gestures. The same kind of episode was played in 2011 when Virat was playing in Australia. The incident occurred when Virat was fielding at the boundary line during the second Test against the hosts in Sydney and the crowd started mocking the player with nasty comments. Kohli couldn’t control himself and responded back with a middle finger gesture. He was fined 50% of his match fee for his unprofessional manner.
Verbal exchange with Steve Smith
The second Test of the four-match series between India and Australia in 2017 turned out to be another controversial affair for Virat Kohli. It all started when the Australian stalwart Steve Smith, who was the captain of the visiting team in that game, was trapped in front of the wicket and was given his marching orders. However, Smith had some other plans in his mind before leaving the field. He consulted his partner Peter Handscomb whether he should review the decision or not. He even looked towards the dressing room for some help. According to the rules, players are not allowed to take external help while making a decision on reviews. As a result, Smith’s attempt to play with the rules irked Virat Kohli and he immediately rushed to the umpire. Kohli’s reaction and exchange of words didn’t go down well with many former cricketers, who blasted him for reacting angrily.
Rift with Anil Kumble
When Anil Kumble took over the responsibility of coaching in 2016, he was welcomed by Virat Kohli. It was believed that he would lead India to new heights. However, Virat was not amused when Kumble decided to play Kuldeep Yadav in the last test match of the series. The Aussies were in India and Kumble thought of taming them with the help of Kuldeep Yadav. This decision was challenged by Virat, who was not playing in that particular game. India won the game in the end but Virat and Kumble had fallen apart. The governing body of Indian cricket and leading former players tried to intervene but Virat refused to work with Kumble. After India’s defeat in the finale of the Champions Trophy, Kumble had decided not to renew his contract with the Indian team.
Angry reaction after series defeat
After India lost the two-match Test series to New Zealand earlier this year, Virat Kohli was prepared to face the blunt questions of media in the post-match press conference. The Indian captain tried his best to answer all the queries in a calm and composed manner but a reporter came forward to test his patience. He asked Kohli whether his on-field aggression is setting the right example for his team. As expected, the question didn’t go down well with the star batsman and he immediately blasted the reporter. “You need to find out exactly what happened and come up with better questions. You can’t come here with half questions or half details of what happened. And also, if you want to create controversy, this is not the right place. I had spoken to the match referee and he had no issues with what happened. Thank You.” In the second Test against Kiwis, Kohli was seen celebrating aggressively. He had even used a cuss word to express his anger during the game.
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