Virat Kohli Clown Controversy: Australian Media's 'Double Standards' Slammed by Irfan Pathan, Says Happening for Ages

The controversy surrounding Virat Kohli, where an Australian newspaper labelled him "Clown Kohli" following a heated on-field incident with Sam Konstas, is not sitting well with former Indian cricketers. Pacer-turned-commentator Irfan Pathan strongly disapproves of the Australian media's approach, calling out their "double standards."

Speaking on Star Sports, Irfan Pathan did not mince words, stating, "First thing, Australian media is crossing limits of double standards. First, they make you the king, and then they show aggression by calling you a joker.

"You are using the popularity of the cricketer to make money, that way heads and tails both are yours, which is not acceptable to any of us ex-cricketers, especially Indians because this has been happening for ages now."

Pathan further criticised the hypocrisy displayed, adding, "What Virat Kohli has done is wrong, no doubt about it, but ICC decides the quantum of punishment. Australian media are making a big fuss about it but forget what their players did in the past, who spat on Ramnaresh Sarwan and cussed his family. They go silent when it's their players and then question the spirit of cricket when it's about other players."

Sunil Gavaskar also weighed in on the matter, highlighting how the Australian media often plays the role of the "12th man" for their team. Gavaskar underscored the irony in their criticism of Kohli, pointing out their selective silence on past instances involving Australian players' questionable on-field conduct.

The controversy began on Day 1 of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when Kohli collided with debutant Sam Konstas after the 10th over, leading to a verbal altercation. While the ICC fined Kohli 20% of his match fee and handed him a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the Code of Conduct, Australian media's dramatic portrayal of the incident grabbed more headlines.

Indian cricket fans took to social media to denounce the Australian media's derogatory remarks, terming them a calculated ploy to sell newspapers using Kohli's image while deflecting attention from their team's flaws.