Australian newspaper The West Australian has labeled Virat Kohli a “clown” following the controversial incident on the first day of the Boxing Day Test. Kohli, who collided with debutant Sam Constance during the match, faced criticism and sanctions from the ICC.
The incident, where Kohli appeared to deliberately bump into Constance, led to him being fined 20% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for breaching ICC’s Code of Conduct (Article 2.12). Match referee Andy Pycroft imposed the penalty after the day’s play.
Adding fuel to the controversy, The West Australian mocked Kohli by editing his image to resemble a clown, which has sparked outrage among Indian fans and former players. Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan criticized the Australian media’s behavior, recalling past instances of hostility during India-Australia matches. Speaking to Star Sports, Pathan said, “Australia has a history of behaving poorly with us—throwing balls at players, sledging, and physical confrontations have all happened before.”
The caricature and media reaction have ignited fresh debates on the ethics of such portrayals in sports journalism.
