NEW DELHI: The cricket icon Virat Kohli has again been in the middle of controversy, not just in terms of playing potential of his big guys but also maintaining the dignified behavior during the game. Their latest scuffle occurred when Kohli clashed with Australian debutant Sam Konstas during the Boxing Day Test playing earlier this month has once again sparked discussions on aggression of Kohli and increased annoyance with his actions on the cricket ground.
The critics in the news, despite hailing him as the best player for India, pointed towards Kohli’s aggressive behaviors, such as a purported shove on Konstas. His attitude when under pressure, and intensity has been criticized, while some people suggested that he crossed line between sportsmanlike conduct sometimes.
It worsened when, according to the daily, Kohli approached Konstas and almost threateningly dared him to come closer than 50 meters. While Indian fans explain aggression in Kohli as a strategy against stress, there are many who take it as a meaningless challenge. This lead to an escalating war of words on social media between Indian and Australian fans, the two groups supporting their favorite players.
Some critics managing to consider Kohli a cricketer who loses his patience on the field and lately has been involved in dozens of controversies such as the one with Konstas and journalists. Such cases are far from what Kohli was known for before and have raised questions of whether his zeal turns into fumes.
On the other hand, much has been said about how calmly Konstas took the incident in the Defence. Unlike Kohli, the young debutant maintained concentration on the game without provoking a response to the dismissal which many dubbed irritating professionalism. This contrast has only intensified the discussion, and some people draw the conclusion that Kohli’s antics indicate the decline of the trend.
However, this episode puts a feather on a major issue that has been more often a case in Kohli’s career. It may be argued that he is one of the most gifted batsman but his temper tantrums are becoming more and more hard to ignore. People’s perception regarding his handling of young players like Konstas is changing and people see him as a player, who is trying to divide the team instead of setting an example.
Finally, the conflict between Kohli and Konstas between heaven and earth leads the rift between the cricket teams. People continue being in two different camps: supporting Kohli and discussing his current behavior, as controversies around his actions intensify.
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