Virat Kohli’s fiery attitude on the cricket field has always been one of the biggest reasons behind his popularity. Whether it is celebrating wickets, responding to sledging or confronting opponents, Kohli’s aggressive nature has often created unforgettable moments for cricket fans, especially during matches against Australia.
Over the years, Virat Kohli has been involved in several heated exchanges on the field. One of the earliest major controversies came in 2013 when he reacted angrily to a hostile crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground by showing his middle finger. Later, during his captaincy years, such intense moments became more frequent as he continued to play with passion and emotion.
Even in the IPL 2026, Virat Kohli made headlines after getting involved in a tense on-field argument with Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head. The incident quickly went viral and sparked massive discussion across social media platforms.
Recently, former India head coach Ravi Shastri shared another interesting story involving Kohli during a podcast. Ravi Shastri recalled a dramatic moment from the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia when he had to intervene to stop Virat Kohli from getting into a serious confrontation.
According to Ravi Shastri, the incident took place during the Melbourne Test, where Kohli was constantly exchanging words with Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson. The tension reportedly started after Mitchell Johnson hit Virat Kohli on the head with a delivery early in the innings.
Ravi Shastri explained that both the players remained fired up throughout the session and the atmosphere became extremely intense around lunchtime. As Kohli was walking back to the dressing room, he was still staring aggressively at Mitchell Johnson, forcing Ravi Shastri to physically pull him away and ask him to focus on his batting instead.
Despite Australia winning the series, the 2014 tour became a major turning point in Virat Kohli’s career. He scored a memorable century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and established himself as one of the world’s best batters.
The tour also marked the beginning of Kohli’s famous love-hate rivalry with Australia, where he would later enjoy some of the finest performances of his international career.
