Virat Kohli in Heated Exchange with Australian Journalist Over Privacy Breach at Melbourne Airport: Report
Virat Kohli in Heated Exchange with Australian Journalist Over Privacy Breach at Melbourne Airport: Report
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli was involved in a heated exchange with a female Australian journalist at Melbourne airport on Thursday, December 19. The incident occurred as Kohli arrived with his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, and their children.
According to local media, a journalist from Australia’s Channel 7 captured footage of Kohli and his family, prompting the cricketer to confront her about the intrusion into their privacy. Kohli reportedly demanded to review the pictures and videos taken, requesting that any involving his family be deleted while permitting those of himself to remain.
In Australia, photographing or filming celebrities in public spaces is legal, adding complexity to such disputes. This is not the first time Kohli has emphasized his family’s privacy. He had previously requested photographers not to take pictures of his family when departing from Mumbai airport for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Unlike the rest of the Indian team, Kohli did not travel with his teammates from Brisbane to Melbourne, instead opting to travel with his family ahead of the fourth Test, starting December 26. Kohli and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have been traveling separately with their families during the series, even sharing a chartered flight from Adelaide to Brisbane before the third Test.
On-Field Struggles and Key Expectations
Kohli’s performance in the Test series has been underwhelming. While he scored a century in the second innings of the series opener in Perth, his overall tally in the first three matches stands at just 126 runs in six innings, averaging 30. Excluding his hundred, Kohli has accumulated only 26 runs in five innings, with his tendency to chase wide deliveries exploited by Australian bowlers.
India, meanwhile, avoided defeat in the third Test at Brisbane, thanks to rain after conceding a substantial first-innings lead of 185 runs. With the series evenly poised, Kohli will aim to regain form and contribute significantly in Melbourne.
India’s recent Boxing Day Test record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is promising, with two victories and a draw in their last three appearances. The team will seek to build on this momentum as they eye a series-defining performance.
