Virat Kohli’s on-field theatrics have taken centerstage in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the Indian superstar making headlines for his fiery confrontations, a costly run-out mix-up, and his resilience with the bat. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, came out in support of Kohli, praising the 36-year-old for bringing theatre to the game.
The drama began on the opening day of the fourth Test when Kohli collided with Australian debutant Sam Konstas during a fiery moment on the field. The 19-year-old Konstas, unfazed by the incident, exchanged words with Kohli, escalating the tension. As Kohli turned back to confront Konstas, umpire Michael Gough and Usman Khawaja had to intervene to defuse the situation.
“Virat creating theatre down under! Let’s GO! Imagine how boring it would be without the Showman! And he’s earned EVERYTHING with his runs over his career! Many would end their successful international careers with a 1/4 of what he’s achieved….” Pietersen posted on X.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) fined Kohli 20% of his match fee and handed him a demerit point for the incident. While the penalty was relatively light, the incident divided opinions, with some condemning Kohli’s aggression and others defending it as part of his competitive spirit.
Kohli’s troubles compounded on the second day, first with a run-out involving Yashasvi Jaiswal. The pair had forged a solid 102-run partnership, but a communication breakdown proved disastrous. Jaiswal, batting beautifully on 82, flicked Scott Boland towards mid-on and set off for a single. Kohli, however, didn’t respond, leaving Jaiswal stranded and run out at the non-striker’s end.
The mix-up appeared to rattle Kohli, who was dismissed shortly after for 36, nicking a delivery from Boland. His departure triggered a collapse, as India fell from 153/2 to 164/5 by stumps, trailing Australia by a massive 310 runs.
India’s position in the Test looks precarious. After Australia posted a mammoth 474, thanks to Steve Smith’s sublime 140, India’s late collapse has put them on the back foot. Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant, the unbeaten batsmen, hold the key to India’s hopes of a fightback on Day 3. Lower-order contributions from Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar could also be vital in narrowing the deficit.