Kohli confronted a female reporter at the Melbourne airport last Thursday.
Australian media has launched a scathing attack on Virat Kohli ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, describing the star Indian batter as a “bully”.
Just a few days back, Kohli confronted a female reporter representing Channel 7 at the Melbourne airport. He wasn't happy to see him and his family members being captured by the media.
“With my kids I need some privacy, you can’t film without asking me,” Kohli was heard saying in the viral video.
It seems that the incident hasn’t gone down well with certain sections of the Australian media, with senior Channel Nine sports presenter Tony Jones slamming Kohli for “berating” the Channel 7 reporter.
“Nat was out there with a cameraman, a Channel 7 reporter was out there with his cameraman and they were doing what we do on a daily basis essentially, and that’s be at the airport to actually get identities, whether they’re politicians, whether they’re sporting identities or whatever," said Jones, who is also a commentator.
“He took umbrage, he being Virat Kohli, to the fact the cameras were focused on him.
“Well duh! You’re a batting superstar, you’re a global superstar in the world of cricket, and he takes umbrage to the fact that the attention is focused on him,” he added.
Jones was particularly incensed by Kohli venting out his anger on the female reporter more than her male colleagues. The batting stalwart had reportedly shook the cameraperson’s hand towards the end of the confrontation.
“What really got my back up when I saw the footage was that he turned around to the three blokes, the two cameramen and the reporter from Channel 7, and said you guys are OK, it’s her. Really? Big tough man, Virat.
“And then he stood over this girl, Nat Yoannidis, who’s about five foot one, five foot two, and just absolutely berated her. You’re nothing but a bully, Virat,” Jones remarked.
Recently, the Australian media also accused Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja of not answering a question in English, sparking a huge controversy.
Channel 7 carried out a report claiming Jadeja "refused" to answer questions from their reporters in English and the TV reporters, who had travelled all the way after being "invited" and were left "bemused by the "strange and frosty media conference at the MCG."
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently stands level at 1-1, and before the fourth and penultimate Test at the MCG, it appears that tension is not limited to the cricketers on the field.