BGT 2024-25: 3 Times Virat Kohli Lost His Temper On Australian Soil

Jatin

Virat Kohli got angry at the Australian media [Source: @KohliSensation/x.com]Virat Kohli got angry at the Australian media [Source: @KohliSensation/x.com]

Indian stalwart Virat Kohli and Australia’s relationship is a love-hate affair that never gets old. Whether it’s his aggressive batting, burning temper or intense stare-downs, the man knows how to grab attention Down Under.

On Thursday, Kohli made headlines in Australia again, not for his on-field performance but for a tense moment at the Melbourne Airport. As the former captain landed for the Boxing Day Test, he was caught in an intense exchange with a journalist.

The cameras were pointed at his family, and Kohli wasn’t having any of it. He stormed off but came back to give the journalist a piece of his mind. It was short, sharp, and oh-so-Kohli.

This isn’t the first time Kohli’s temper has flared in Australia. Here are three unforgettable moments when King Kohli lost his cool Down Under.

3. Kohli vs Tim Paine, 2018

Kohli vs Tim Paine [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]Kohli vs Tim Paine [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]

Let’s rewind to the 2018 series, where Kohli and Tim Paine turned the Perth Test into a verbal battleground. Kohli was the initiator here as he tried to get under Paine’s skin with a cheeky taunt: “If he messes it up, it’s 2-0.”

Paine wasn’t one to take it lying down and fired back, “You’re the one that lost it!”

What followed was a verbal slugfest for the ages. The two captains traded digs, glared at each other, and made it clear that neither was backing down. The crowd loved it. The tension? You could cut it with a knife.

However, Virat Kohli didn’t let the trash talk get in the way of his game. India went on to win the series 2-1, their first-ever Test series victory in Australia. This spat? It’s just another chapter in the India vs Australia rivalry, and Kohli was right in the middle of it.

2. Kohli vs Mitchell Johnson, 2014

Kohli vs Mitchell Johnson [Source: @CricCrazyV/x.com]Kohli vs Mitchell Johnson [Source: @CricCrazyV/x.com]

When it comes to intense encounters, this one takes the cake. The 2014 Boxing Day Test at the MCG was already intense, and then Mitchell Johnson decided to throw fuel on the fire.

Kohli defended a ball, and Johnson, trying to field off his own bowling, threw it back and hit Kohli. Big mistake. Kohli wasn’t going to let that slide. He gave Johnson a piece of his mind, and the two went at it all day: verbal volleys, glares, and pure aggression.

But Kohli didn’t just talk. He let his bat do the shouting. He smashed a stunning 169, showing Johnson and the world that you don’t mess with him. After the match, Kohli upped the ante, saying he had “no respect” for Johnson. With his performance, Kohli proved he’s not just a competitor, he’s a fighter who thrives under pressure.

1. The Middle Finger Incident, 2012

Kohli Middle Finger Incident,[Source: @AkshatOM10/x.com]Kohli Middle Finger Incident,[Source: @AkshatOM10/x.com]

This one’s vintage Kohli. During the 2012 Sydney Test, Kohli was fielding on the boundary when the Australian crowd decided to have a go at him. They hurled abuse, and Kohli? He didn’t take it lightly.

Instead, he turned around and gave them the middle finger. Yes, he went there. The crowd was stunned, the cameras caught it, and the ICC wasn’t amused. Kohli was fined 50% of his match fee for breaching the Code of Conduct.

Later, Kohli admitted he’d pleaded with match referee Ranjan Madugalle not to ban him. It was a moment of frustration, but it showed that Kohli isn’t one to back down, even when the odds or the crowd are against him.