Looks like Australian media has turned on Virat Kohli for the sake of clickbait as if they are on a mission to ridicule and humiliate India's batting juggernaut with their cheap 'headline' thrills. The cricketing world vividly remembers the arrival of Virat Kohli in Perth for the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was met with a frenzy in the Australian media. They warmly welcomed the 'King' back, showering him with praise and even employing Hindi headlines to appeal to the Indian audience. The cricketing arena was captivated by Kohli's return to Australia, anticipating a captivating series. And suddenly Australian media takes a U-turn and in no time the King became villain for them. The atmosphere quickly shifted during the fourth Test in Melbourne.
Australian media's double standards in Virat Kohli's witch hunt on full display
On the first day of the MCG Test, as the 10th over was nearing its end, an unusual incident occurred between Kohli and Australian debutant Sam Konstas. After facing the final delivery, Konstas stepped back from the crease to adjust his gloves while walking towards the other end. As he did so, Kohli moved from the outer side of the crease and brushed past the young Australian.
The incident involving Virat Kohli during the fourth Test in Melbourne sparked a strong reaction from the Australian media, with some outlets resorting to highly critical and derogatory language.
The West Australian newspaper published a headline that harshly criticized Kohli, labeling him "Clown Kohli." The accompanying slugline, which summarized expert opinions on the incident, described Kohli's actions as "Indian sook slammed for pathetic bump in teen's dream Test debut..". Notably, the term 'sook', used in the slugline, is a derogatory term in the Tasmanian region, often used to describe a cowardly or overly sensitive person.
Not just this, The West Australian newspaper came up with another headline after Virat Kohli was dismissed for 36 runs on Day 2 of the ongoing fourth Test between India and Australia. While alluding to the 'shoulder-bump' episode with Sam Konstas, they employed 'Karma' as a headline, seemingly suggesting that Kohli's actions had come back to haunt him.
Irfan Pathan exposes Australian media's hypocrisy
The Australian media's harsh criticism of Kohli did not sit well with Indian fans, who strongly defended their superstar. Not just this, India's World-Cup winner Irfan Pathan also blasted Australian media for witch hunting of Kohli. Pathan said that that the Australian media's aggressive targeting of Kohli is a deliberate attempt to capitalise on his immense popularity.
"First of all, the newspapers and even some ex-cricketers here are showing heights of double standards. One moment you are hailing a man as king, and the very next moment, when he shows some aggression on the field, you are going to call him a joker? We have never supported what he (Kohli) has done, but the referee is going to do his job, the necessary action will be taken. But calling him a joker after all of that. You are just using him and trying to make cricket famous in the country again. But how are you doing that? You are using Virat Kohli's market value, and we will absolutely not accept that," Irfan Pathan said.
Australian media feeding on Virat Kohli's aura!
Despite a relatively subdued performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, excluding his century in the Perth Test, Virat Kohli remains one of the most accomplished batsmen in international cricket. With a remarkable tally of 27,296 international runs, including 81 centuries, Kohli's stature in the cricketing world is undeniable.
Both India and Australia boast a rich cricketing history, and their encounters are consistently characterised by intense rivalry and high emotions. While the Australian media has frequently offered critical commentary on Kohli's performances, the recent episode involving the 'shoulder-bump' incident has sparked debate about the boundaries of acceptable criticism. Concerns have been raised regarding whether the Australian media has crossed the line into unnecessary vilification of former Indian captain.