Virat Kohli-Fan Altercation: Stuart Fox, the CEO of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), which manages the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), has stated that the Indian team has not yet lodged an official complaint regarding the incident involving Virat Kohli and some local fans on Friday.
During Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli was heckled by a group of local fans as he walked back to the dressing room after being dismissed. While such interactions are not unusual in cricket, Kohli was seen turning back and briefly looking at a section of the crowd, before being escorted away by security.
This moment led many to believe that something offensive was said to the former India captain, who has already been the target of media and fan trolling since the series began.
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“You’re never comfortable when fans are heavily engaging with a player,” Fox told SEN radio. “As the operator, you are always monitoring the situation. I reviewed the footage last night and spoke to security this morning. There has been no official complaint from India; they’re comfortable with the situation.”
Fox acknowledged the heckling but clarified, “It was a bit of heckling, and Kohli obviously looked back. I’d be concerned if there had been serious abuse, physical contact, or anything crossing the line. That’s when we step in to ensure everyone behaves appropriately. I have great respect for Kohli and what he’s done for the game, but I’m not a fan of the booing. He should be celebrated for the rivalry he’s helped create.”
Kohli had been hailed as a superstar before the series, but the shoulder-barge incident with Sam Konstas on Boxing Day led to him being painted as the villain. Although Konstas later called it accidental, and the ICC imposed a 20% match fee fine on Kohli, he continued to face boos and heckles from the crowd at the MCG.
Despite the noise, Kohli nearly let his bat do the talking, playing a solid knock of 36 off 86 balls on Friday. However, a couple of lapses in concentration ended his 102-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal and saw him dismissed soon after.
India finished Day 3 at 358/9, still trailing Australia by 116 runs.
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