Sublime, superb, aggressive, arrogant, Mr. chaser, and the list of adjectives keep growing with Virat Kohli’s achievements. But Kohli and his numerous followers both on and off the field would need magnifying glasses of the highest quality and some rather outrageous thinking to relate him to a joker or clown. Well, not any more, according to a former South African spinner.
The Indian captain was rather unceremoniously termed a ‘joker’ and dragged into the ‘whether Rabada deserved another ban’ debate, even without his knowledge. Paul Harris, a former South African left-arm spinner took his defensive stance towards Rabada a little too far for comfort by dragging Kohli into the argument and even accusing the ICC of favouring the Indian skipper despite his ‘joker-like’ behavior throughout the three-match Test series in South Africa in January.
“I watched Kohli behave like a clown for three tests here in SA and nothing. Seems to me that ICC either have an issue with Rabada or with the Proteas in general,” Harris wrote on his Twitter.
Harris, who represented South Africa in 37 Test matches, faced a lot of criticism for his tweet as netizens reacted strongly for his choice of words.
While his disappointment towards ICC for slapping a two-match ban on Kagiso Rabada for his shoulder-jab to Australian captain Steve Smith after dismissing him in the second Test match is understandable, considering his availability can and did make a huge difference in the outcome of the four-match Test series, it inexplicable why he brought Kohli into the discussion.
Virat Kohli ‘s behavior has been a topic of discussion as much as his record-breaking feats have been but never has the right-hander received a suspension for his on-field behavior.
India’s No. 4 amassed 286 runs including a 153-run knock in the second Test match and only once did he fail to control his emotions during the three-match series, if that is what Harris was referring to.
The Indian captain was seen giving an animated send-off to his South African counterpart Faf du Plessis after his dismissal in the first Test match. But neither the on-field umpires nor the match referee felt there was any need to pull the reins on Kohli and understandably too.
Whereas, Rabada was found guilty of “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact”. He was fined 50 percent of his match fee and issued three demerit points after a disciplinary hearing following his denial of the charge.
Even after that incident Rabada did not feel the need to keep a check on his aggression and went on to give a mouthful to David Warner after bowling him in the second innings of the same Test match, attracting a level one breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, hearing for which is still pending.
Harris, evidently overlooked these and compared the young fast bowler’s outrageous behavior with Kohli’s aggression. Thankfully though, sense prevailed and he took the down the tweet before being bashed further on twitter.