Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar has recently taken a strong stand against the Australian media's treatment of the Indian cricketer Virat Kohlicriticizing the perceived duplicity and charisma that have characterized Kohli's performance during the ongoing process. Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Their comments come in the wake of an incident involving Kohli and Australia the first Konstas himselfwhich has ignited a media fire.
Pathan did not hesitate to criticize the Australian media, calling their assessment of Kohli a “witch hunt.” He said that the constant mocking of Kohli by the media is not about cricket but an attempt to use his popularity to rekindle interest in the sport in Australia. Pathan pointed out the hypocrisy in which the Australian media once celebrated Kohli as a “king” one minute, and derided him as a “joke” the next. The disparity, he said, reflects a wider trend where the media capitalize on the popularity of cricketers while failing to hold their own players accountable for the same or bad behavior in the game.
Pathan's statement was specifically about an incident where Kohli was paid 20% of his match fee for carrying Konstas during a match. While admitting that Kohli's actions were not safe, Pathan stressed that it was ultimately his responsibility The International Cricket Council (ICC) determine appropriate penalties. He criticized the media for covering the incident out of bounds, implying that they are using Kohli's image as a scapegoat to create hype around cricket.
“Firstly, newspapers and even former cricketers are now showing a double standard. One minute you are hailing a man as a king, and the next minute, when he shows rudeness in the arena, you will call him a joke? We did not agree with what he (Kohli) did, but the umpire will do his job, the right thing will be done. But calling him a joke after all this happened. You are just using him and trying to make cricket popular again in this country. But how do you do that? You are using Virat Kohli's market value, and we cannot accept that,” Pathan said on Star Sports.
Also SEE: Anger rises as Virat Kohli nearly fights Australian fans on Day 2 of AUS vs IND Test
Sunil Gavaskar calls it two phases in the game
Gavaskar, another cricketing legend, echoed what Pathan was talking about. He pointed out how Australian media often takes a two-pronged approach – celebrating aggressive performances by their own players but harshly criticizing them when they come from opponents like Kohli. Gavaskar also said that the media acts like the “12th man” of Australia, targeting players who cause major problems in their management in cricket. His comments reflect the growing frustration among Indian cricketers at the way they are portrayed in comparison to their Australian counterparts.
“This is an old story. Always 'if we do, it's fine, if you do, it's a crime',” concluded Gavaskar.
Gavaskar also spoke about his experience with the Australian media, recalling how much attention he was subjected to during his playing days. He also emphasized that while violence is often celebrated in Australian cricket culture, it is controversial when it is directed at their players. This selective anger also distorts the discussion of the game and fair play in cricket.
Here is the video:
🗣 @IrfanPathan Pathan did not return, calling #Australian media on the Kohli-Konstas event 🫣#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 Test 4, Day 2 LIVE NOW! | | #Tough Competition #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/S26P7Oq3b0
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 27, 2024
Virat Kohli has faced issues of privacy breach
The scrutiny that Kohli faces continues to mount. Recently, he got into an argument with the Australian media at the airport, when they tried to photograph him with his family. This has also fueled discussion about the invasion of privacy that celebrity athletes endure, especially when they speak out about protecting their families' privacy. Kohli's insistence on maintaining family boundaries adds another dimension to his characters and highlights the challenges athletes face in balancing their lives with society's expectations.