January 2025: Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on the controversial shoulder bump incident between India’s star batter Virat Kohli and Australian debutant Sam Konstas during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The incident sparked a storm of reactions, with Gavaskar calling Kohli’s actions “simply not cricket.”
The incident unfolded after Konstas, a 19-year-old Australian, took the Indian team by surprise with his attacking approach to Jasprit Bumrah. Konstas ramped Bumrah over the wicketkeeper’s head for a six, an audacious shot that left the Indian players stunned and silenced the crowd. The teenager continued his bold attack, playing aggressive shots to accumulate boundaries and gain momentum against the Indian bowlers.
However, the tension escalated when, during the 10th over, Kohli bumped into Konstas’ shoulder as they crossed paths at the crease. The exchange led to a brief verbal confrontation, with Usman Khawaja trying to defuse the situation. The confrontation was widely discussed, with fans and commentators offering differing views on what led to the incident and whether Kohli’s actions were warranted.
Gavaskar, writing in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, expressed his disapproval of Kohli’s reaction, pointing out that such behavior was not in line with the spirit of the game. He noted, “That said, what Kohli did with the shoulder bump is simply not cricket. Indians are not shy to retaliate if provoked, but here the provocation was simply not there.”
Gavaskar also reflected on the larger context of Kohli’s ongoing struggles with the Australian crowd throughout the series. The crowd, known for its boisterous nature, had been vocal in its support of the home team and often booed the Indian star. Kohli, in turn, had been seen reacting to these taunts, including a moment in the final BGT Test at the SCG, where he mocked the infamous sandpaper scandal from Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa by showing his empty pockets to the crowd.
While acknowledging Kohli’s fiery spirit, Gavaskar emphasized the importance of not getting drawn into crowd provocations. “To react to that doesn’t do the player any good, and in fact, does more harm. Kohli must understand that whatever he does to react to the crowd actually puts more pressure on his teammates, who also then become targets of the spectators,” he said.
Gavaskar also discussed Kohli’s form in the series, which had been below his usual standards. Despite his extensive experience, Kohli struggled to adjust to the outside off-stump deliveries, repeatedly falling for them and edging the ball to the slip fielders or wicketkeeper. His inability to deal with this weakness was a key factor in his disappointing run, scoring just 190 runs at an average of 23.75 across eight innings in the series.
In a broader reflection, Gavaskar noted that Kohli’s failure to contribute with the bat, at key moments in the series, hurt the Indian team’s chances. “With his continued failures to avoid nibbling at the deliveries around the off-stump, he failed to make the contribution that could have boosted the total,” he said, as India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1.
Despite his criticism, Gavaskar acknowledged Kohli’s immense talent and passion but urged him to focus on staying composed and avoiding distractions that can lead to unnecessary tension, both on and off the field.
