Australian media hits one below the belt, compares Virat Kohli with animals

Mumbai: Ahead of the four-match Test series, Michael Hussey had termed Virat Kohli as Australia’s “public enemy number one”.

The Indian cricket team captain, who was enjoying a fine run of form ahead of the Australia Test series, has not scored many runs in the first two Tests against Steve Smith and Co.

However, after he slammed Steve Smith as the Australian skipper tried to seek dressing room’s help as he thought of opting for Decision Review System (DRS) to challenge the on-field umpire’s decision in the second innings of the Bengaluru Test, a section of the Australian media has come down heavily on Kohli.

A day after an Australian newspaper – The Daily Telegraph – accused Kohli of hitting match official with the bottle of orange Gattorade, Fox Sports Australia’s Facebook page compared Kohli with animals.

The Daily Telegraph had targetted Kohli and Indian coach Anil Kumble saying, “Kohli might be the aggressor in the brazen campaign India is running against Australia’s integrity — even striking an Australian official with an orange Gatorade bottle — but coach Kumble, one of the main instigators of the Monkeygate fiasco, would appear to have reclaimed his role as the puppeteer behind the scenes.”

Fox Sports Australia went a step ahead and took a dig at Kohli in a distasteful manner, running a ‘Vettel of the Week’ poll.

While the term ‘Vettel of the Week’ is named after four-time Formula 1 champion Sebatian Vettel after he grabbed the pole position from Australian Mark Webber in 2014, it is also used as a modern day slang meaning sports villain.

Although Cricket Australia and Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) have patched up after earlier releasing statements in support of their respective captains; with the Indian cricket board also lodging an official complaint with ICC against Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb, it seemed the Australian media was not too pleased with how Kohli took on Smith and Co.

The Fox Sports Australia’s Facebook page ran a poll, saying, “Recent events have prompted a return of our Vettel of The Week award. Kids, ask your grandparents. The rest of you know the drill.”

(Photo: Screengrab)

While the media channel faced a lot of backlash, it did not bother them much as they hit back at some of the comments.