Indian cricketing star Virat Kohli on Friday confronted fans after they booed him off the field following his wicket on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
As per the details, Kohli was sent back to the pavilion after being dismissed for 36 runs. A viral video showed a group of Australian fans booing as the star batsman made his way to the dressing room, prompting him to come back and confront them.
However, security officials were seen intervening and calming him down before the situation could escalate.
It may be noted that Kohli has been under scrutiny from local media since after arriving in Melbourne. Some outlets have labelled him a “clown” after his altercation with Australian debutant Sam Konstas on Day 1 of the Test.
On Day 2, Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal put up a strong 102-run partnership for the third wicket, giving India hope after Australia posted a massive 474, led by Steve Smith’s impressive 140. Jaiswal displayed a mix of caution and aggression, while Kohli looked steady and watchful at the crease, raising expectations of a solid finish to the day.
However, a dramatic collapse unfolded later in the day after Jaiswal was run out for 82 in a poor mix-up. Kohli followed soon after as Scott Boland claimed his wicket, after which nightwatchman Akash Deep also returned to the pavilion. This took India from 151/2 to 159/5 in a matter of moments, handing the momentum back to Australia.
At stumps, India stood at 164/5 in 46 overs, trailing by 310 runs. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on six and four, respectively. India now faces the daunting task of scoring 111 more runs on Saturday to avoid follow-on and recover from the late-hour collapse.