‘Virat Kohli wanted conflict and confrontation’: Former RCB teammate slams resilient India

Virat KohliThe Australian tour didn’t go according to plan. While it all started brilliantly with a magnificent century in Perth, it ended on a sour note, full of controversy and doubt surrounding his form. In the fourth Test in Melbourne, Kohli butted shoulders with the teenage debutant from Australia. Konstas himselfas a result he was fined 20 percent of his match fee. Kohli also teased the Sydney crowd during the fifth Test with a reference to “sandpaper”. Speaking about these issues, former Australian cricketer Simon Katic – once Kohli’s head coach at Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – said Kohli has tarnished his reputation.

“There is no doubt that he (Kohli) was a modern day great in all formats. But I think you have to wonder what headspace he was in on this tour to do that, getting physical in Melbourne and then even another nasty incident in Sydney where sandpaper was mentioned in pockets,” Katic said . “Around the Wicket” show on ESPN Australia.

“I mean that in and of itself—it wasn’t necessary. It’s old news, so I think in some ways he’s tarnished his reputation a little bit on this tour, on and off the field,” Katic added.

Aaron Finchwho played with Kohli and under Katich at RCB in 2020 reinforced this sentiment.

“It was just a level of disappointment. Last week I said it seemed like he was looking for conflict and confrontation – which is where he usually plays his best cricket. So he just went overboard on this tour. The hit (with Constas), it was superior to anything I’ve seen on the field, and besides, the sandpaper was unnecessary. Overall, I think he was trying to find something to spark a fire in himself, but he just couldn’t do it.” – Finch. said.

Kohli scored just 190 runs in nine innings in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, repeatedly choosing to bowl outside the off-stump.