Sports

‘Cricket is all about making friends’: Australian legends snub classless Kohli

By Web Desk
March 29, 2017

KARACHI: Australian cricketers and newspapers have slammed Indian skipper Virat Kohli for his comments that ‘he no longer considered Australian cricketers as friends’.

Kohli, who remarked on his friendship with some Australian players before the Border–Gavaskar series, said things had changed during the bitter contest between the world´s top two sides.

"I thought that was the case but it has changed for sure. As I said in the heat of the battle, you want to be competitive but yeah I have been proven wrong," he said in a post-match press conference.

The 28-year-old skipper, who sat out the final Test due to injury, caused a furore in the second Test after accusing his counterpart Steven Smith of repeatedly abusing the decision review system.

Newspapers laid into the winning captain and also took umbrage at India´s apparent snub when invited to join the tourists for a beer.

"Virat Kohli had to shake hands and move on after series win but he acted like a child," read a headline in Sydney´s Daily Telegraph, which also called Kohli an "egomaniac".

"Beergate: Kohli´s latest classless act", another headline said.

His remarks have angered former players as well.

Former Australian batsman Dean Jones tweeted: “Virat will learn that this great game is not just about winning and losing. It's also about the friends you make while playing the game.”

Ex-Aussie captain, Michael Clarke maintaining the realm tweeted, “Congratulations India. It's been a wonderful series. Aussies have played some very good cricket also. Just to good in this final Test.”

Pacer Mitchell Johnson was very unhappy on the matter. The Indian skipper should have left the on-field battle out in the middle, he said.

The issue flared up and also attracted comments from former cricketing legends including David Lloyd and Sunil Gavaskar.

England’s Lloyd advised Kohli to ‘sit listen to Sachin Tendulkar’.

My respect for him has gone even higher for admitting that he was wrong," Gavaskar told media after Smith tendered an apology. Smith had said that 'the emotions got the better of him'.