Virat Kohli asked to think of teammates; Sunil Gavaskar unhappy with India star’s antics in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Unimpressed with Virat Kohli's antics on the field during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar opined that the India star's acts in response to the Australian crowd's constant booing make life harder for the other Indian players.

Gavaskar's comments come after Kohli's ‘Sandpaper gesture’ on the third day of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney following the dismissal of Steve Smith. The former India captain put his hands in his empty trouser pockets and pulled them out to show there was nothing, which was an indirect reference to the infamous sandpaper incident that rocked Australian cricket in 2018.

Gavaskar stated that such acts put pressure on the other Indian team members and become targets of the Australian crowd. “Kohli must understand that whatever he does to react to the crowd actually puts more pressure on his teammates, who also then become targets of the spectators,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Known as one of the animated characters on the field, Kohli was given huge media attention in the build-up to the series. However, his act of shoulder-barging Sam Konstas in Melbourne didn't go well with many people, including former England captain Michael Vaughan.

Kohli's shoulder-barge vs Konstas unnecessary

Since that incident, Kohli has been a victim of constant booing every time he steps onto the field. According to Gavaskar, Kohli shouldn't have gotten physical with Konstas. “What Kohli did with the shoulder bump is simply not cricket,” Gavaskar continued.

“Indians are not shy to retaliate if provoked, but here, the provocation was simply not there. The one thing that players learn with experience is that it’s futile to try and get back at the crowds, who have come to have a good time, so booing players is never personal but just a way to entertain themselves. To react to that doesn’t do the player any good and, in fact, does more harm,” added the legendary figure.