Former Australian cricketers Aaron Finch Simon Katich made bold remarks about Virat Kohli's on-field antics during the recently concluded 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia clinched after defeating India in a five-match Test. series By a difference of 3-1.
Aaron Finch and Simon Katich slammed Kohli for his unnecessary antics on the tour of Australia, saying the dashing right-hander had gone “overboard” and “tarnished his reputation”, particularly with his sandpaper wicket taunt to the Australian crowd in the fifth and final over. The Test was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) last week.
Aaron Finch and Simon Katich have criticized Virat Kohli's controversial behavior on the tour of Australia
Interestingly, Aaron Finch and Simon Katich shared the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) dressing room with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Finch shared the field with the Indian cricket star, Katich served as head coach of RCB in the Indian Premier League.
Well, Virat Kohli has sparked a major controversy with his on-field antics during India's recent Test series against Australia, leaving fans and former players divided. The drama unfolded on Boxing Day at the MCG when Kohli shouldered Australian teenager Sam Konstas.
Subsequently, Kohli was fined 20% of the match fee and given one penalty point by the ICC. But the controversy did not end there, as the former Indian skipper's actions took another turn during the New Year's Test, as he was seen imitating a gesture referring to the notorious “Sandpapergate” scandal.
He has tarnished his reputation on and off the field: Simon Katich
Kohli turned his pockets inside out, looked down at his trousers, and appeared to rub the ball, taking a look at Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town. This provocative behavior did not please many Australian players, including Finch and Katich, who criticized Kohli for crossing the line and even said that the Indian star had lost his reputation by doing so.
Katich has raised concerns about Virat Kohli's behavior on the tour of Australia, stating that his actions have affected his reputation. He acknowledged Kohli's status as a modern great in all formats but questioned his mentality during the tour, saying his actions were unnecessary and tarnished his image.
“There's no doubt that he (Kohli) was great in the world of the game in all its forms. But I think you have to wonder what kind of headspace he was in on this tour to do that,” Simon Katich said on ESPN's Around the Wicket. Where he made physical contact in Melbourne and then even the other nasty incident in Sydney with the sandpaper reference there with the pockets – I mean that in and of itself – there was no need for that newsSo I think he's tarnished his reputation somewhat on this tour, on and off the field.
Virat Kohli was trying to find something to set him on fire: Aaron Finch
On the other hand, Aaron Finch believes that Kohli's behavior during the tour was driven by frustration. The former Australian skipper noted that Kohli often thrives in confrontation, but this time he went too far, saying that he was trying to generate motivation but failed to perform.
“It was just a level of frustration,” Aaron Finch said on ESPN's Around the Wicket show. “I said last week that it seemed as if he wanted to find conflict and confrontation – which is generally where he plays his best cricket. So, he just went on a rampage.” This round, the bump, which was higher than anything I had seen in the field, and then the sandpaper, was unnecessary but all in all, I think he was trying to find something to set himself on fire, but he wasn't able to.
