Sunil Gavaskar slams Virat Kohli over Sam Konstas shoulder bump and antics like sandpaper gesture, says 'simply not cricket..puts more pressure on his teammates'

Sunil Gavaskar asserted that there was no provocation in the Konstas incident and that retaliating against the crowd was pointless.

Nikhil

• Tue • 07 Jan 2025

Virat Kohli in frame

Highlights:

Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas gets into fight during BGT.

He also silenced Sydney crowd with sandpaper gesture.

Sunil Gavaskar slams Virat Kohli.

Legendary player Sunil Gavaskar said that because of Virat Kohli's antics during the just-finished Border-Gavaskar Trophy his teammates were under extra pressure. Throughout the series against Australia, Kohli struggled with the bat and was removed eight times for deliveries that were outside his off-stump. In five games, the star batter could only amass 190 runs.

But Kohli's on-field theatrics during the series, like his shoulder bump with Sam Konstas, also brought him attention. The ICC then imposed sanctions on the Indian celebrity for his conduct. With the sandpaper motion, Kohli also attempted to agitate the Australian audience. Gavaskar asserted that there was no provocation in the Konstas incident and that retaliating against the crowd was pointless.

ALSO READ: KL Rahul to take break from cricket following 3-1 loss in BGT, will miss this competition before Champions Trophy 2025

ALSO READ: Mohammed Shami makes remarkable statement for Champions Trophy selection, says 'all set to take on the world'

Gavaskar on Kohli

According to the Indian legend, responding to the taunts will hurt the player more than it will help.

ALSO READ: World Cup winning legendary captain slams ICC's 'terrible' plan to introduce two-tier Test cricket

ALSO READ: Big Blow to PCB, superstar cricketers unlikely to participate in PSL despite going unsold in IPL 2025 mega auction

"What Kohli did with the shoulder bump is simply not cricket. Indians are not shy to retaliate if provoked, but here the provocation was simply not there. The one thing that players learn with experience is that it’s futile to try and get back at the crowds, who have come to have a good time, so booing players is never personal but just a way to entertain themselves. To react to that doesn’t do the player any good, and in fact does more harm," Gavaskar wrote in a column for The Sydney Morning Herald.

Gavaskar continued by saying that Kohli must realize that his actions have exposed his colleagues to criticism from onlookers. The Indian legend also criticized Kohli's batting performances, saying they ultimately hurt India's chances of winning the series.

"Kohli must understand that whatever he does to react to the crowd actually puts more pressure on his teammates, who also then become targets of the spectators. With his continued failures to avoid nibbling at the deliveries around the off-stump, he failed to make the contribution that could have boosted the total," said Gavaskar.