Kohli's crass abuse crosses World Cup boundary

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Auckland

ABUSE flew from both sides of the boundary at the World Cup on Tuesday, with SA leg spinner Imran Tahir and an unwitting reporter both victims - and India’s Virat Kohli among the perpetrators.

During SA’s match against Ireland at Manuka Oval in Canberra, Tahir drew the attention of security staff to a member of the crowd other fans described as “loud and annoying”.

The guards spoke to the spectator, but SA’s team management said they would not lay a complaint.

At the same ground during SA’s tour to Australia in November, a fan apparently told Tahir, “Why don’t you go stroke your pet camel.”

At the nets at the WACA in Perth on Wednesday, Kohli unleashed a stream of invective at journalist Jasvinder Singh, who wrote in his paper, the Hindustan Times, that the player swore at him.

Later, Kohli “waved his hand at me and smiled,” Singh wrote, which left him “confused”. Apparently, Kohli had discovered he had targetted the wrong reporter about a story he had taken issue with because it delved into his private life.

Kohli then asked another journalist to apologise to Singh on his behalf, while Indian team management described the situation as a “misunderstanding” and claimed “no abusive language was used”. Singh was not amused, saying Kohli should “learn how to behave”.

It appears Kohli’s apology was for the mistaken identity only, not for his behaviour.