Sydney crowd under fire for 'classless' Kohli treatment
Sydney cricket fans have been slammed by angry viewers after they were heard booing Indian captain Virat Kohli on the first day of the fourth Test.
Kohli’s ongoing battle with the SCG faithful continued on Thursday when he was booed to the crease by some sections of the crowd.
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Chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli’ boomed across the iconic venue when India’s skipper walked to the crease on Thursday, when the tourists’ fans were overcome with awe.
But some of Australia’s supporters voiced their disapproval of the pantomime villain on day one of the fourth Test.
Commentators and supporters on social media were scathing of the disrespect shown to the Indian captain.
"We should be better than that as a nation. I didn't like it."
Tim Lane on the SCG crowd booing Virat Kohli on his way out to bat. #AUSvIND
— Macquarie Sports Radio (@MacquarieSport) January 3, 2019
Booing Kohli? Still? Not only hugely unsporting, but guaranteed to make him play better… @scg
— 𝔇𝔬𝔪 "𝔖𝔦𝔩𝔢𝔫𝔱" 𝔎𝔫𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 (@domknight) January 3, 2019
Australian crowd has been pretty classless today, have to say. Packed full of sore losers #AusVInd
— Rahul. (@MysticMangoes) January 3, 2019
Fair chunk of SCG booing Kohli. Just madness.
— Matt Clemow (@clemow_matt) January 3, 2019
SCG crowd boo when Kohli comes out to bat, but then want Australian cricketers to improve their behaviour #Hypocrites
— Mav13 (@Mav13) January 3, 2019
Imagine being the type of moron to boo Kohli
— Tobie (@tobie_chapman) January 3, 2019
Booing Virat Kohli coming back out to bat after tea is an absolute disgrace Sydney. He’s the captain of the team who has done nothing wrong but outclass an inferior home side. Pathetic #AUSvsIND
— Zac Duggan (@ZJDuggan) January 3, 2019
Kohli copped a smattering of boos in the previous three Tests, with Ricky Ponting and Travis Head both expressing their disappointment in Adelaide.
It also isn’t the first time that Kohli has been jeered by fans in Sydney.
Kohli’s maiden tour of Australia in 2012 was marred by an incident in the SCG Test, when he was in the field and gave some hecklers the middle finger.
The superstar, fined 50 per cent of his match fee for flipping the bird, went on to score the first of his 25 Test tons later in that series.
“I agree cricketers don’t have to retaliate. What when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst ive heard … never heard crap like that. EVER,” Kohli posted on Twitter at the time.
Kohli, who has previously suggested boos only serve to motivate him, detailed India’s siege mentality on the eve of the fourth Test.
“It’s not only the team you are playing against, it’s the whole nation,” Kohli said on Wednesday.
“Because they get behind the team so well.
“When you walk in to bat, you feel there are 40,000 people who want your wicket, not just the 11 guys on the field.”
Some fans were critical of Kohli but the gifted batsman earned plenty of praise from commentators for throwing his support behind the McGrath Foundation.
Kohli’s gloves and bat both had pink markings, while his bat grip was entirely pink.
With AAP
