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Virat Kohli's love affair with Australian media isn't something new. Over the years, Kohli has had several battles with Australian media during India's tours Down Under. Be it Kohli's altercation with journalists at the Melbourne airport or his heated exchange with Sam Konstas prompting media backlash, Kohli has been making headlines in local papers since the start of the 4th Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After being branded a 'joker' over his clash with Konstas, Kohli has been targeted in the local papers again.
On Sunday, an Australian tabloid came up with the headline "Virat, I am your father", referring to Sam Konstas, who hit a half-century in his debut Test innings. The description of the article further read: "Young star who rattled down Kohli and his Indians primed to get Aussies back on track".
The back page of tomorrow's The Sunday Times.@westaustralian @TheWestSport pic.twitter.com/2Oi1c1wx2a
— Jakeb Waddell (@JakebWaddell) December 28, 2024
In his first encounter against a star-studded Indian side, young Australian opener Sam Konstas showed immense confidence, unafraid to try some unorthodox shots.
To build pressure on the youngster, Virat employed his trademark aggression, bumping into Konstas and making shoulder-to-shoulder contact. However, the tactic backfired as Konstas hit star pacer Jasprit Bumrah for some big shots, including a reverse ramp, scoring 34 runs off Bumrah's total of 60.
Following the incident, Virat was fined 20 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point by the International Cricket Council (ICC). This triggered negative press for Virat in the Australian media, with the back page of The West Australian newspaper calling him a "clown," which went viral on social media.
"You can't expect much from them. They always do that. Our players are hard and professional," Wassan told ANI in response to the "clown" comment. "It is wrong. Such hard words should not be used. Passing such comments is not good. Virat shouldn't have done that," Madan Lal added.