India’s star cricketer Virat Kohli was spotted losing his cool by having a heated exchange of words with an Aussie journalist after he arrived at the Melbourne Airport ahead of the Boxing Test against Australia. At that time he came out of the airport with his family when Australian pace bowler Scott Boland was having an interview with Channel 7.
Kohli who has been highly conscious about his family’s privacy saw the cameras focusing on him, his wife, and his kids which made him frustrated. Furthermore, the 36-year-old proceeded to ask for raw footage to clear the misunderstandings. Later, the reporting team explained that they were not recording their children and Virat shook hands with the cameraman before walking out as the matter was resolved.
The short duration of the clip became viral on social media which has drawn mixed responses from the netizens.
Ever since the birth of his daughter Vamika in 2022 and son Akaay in 2024, Virat and his wife Anushka Sharma have been conscious of keeping their kids away from the media attention.
Why did Virat Kohli become angry at Melbourne Airport?
Virat Kohli became tense and furious against a journalist who tried clicking photos of his children without his permission. As soon as he landed at Melbourne Airport, he was upset as the camera seemed to be facing his wife and children.
The Indian cricketer said, “See! I need to have some privacy with my kids. You can’t snap pictures or record videos without my consent,” Virat Kohli said.
Furthermore, a reporter from Channel 7 clarified that there was a huge misunderstanding as the right-handed batsman seeing the cameras thought that the media was filming him and his family.
Why haven’t Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma revealed their kids’ pictures?
In the present world, the use of AI technology has rapidly grown, which has been the main reason for Virat and Anushka not revealing or sharing their kids’ faces to the public world with potential risks involved. Though it might seem to be harmless, there are chances of threats such as identity theft and cyberbullying. Protecting the privacy ensures the safety of their children and limits their online presence.
Since Akaay was born on February 15, AI-generated images have been shared frequently that feature the famous smile of his father Virat which became viral on social media and became a source of fun for all fanatics.
Earlier, on the occasion of Virat Kohli’s birthday on November 5, Anushka Sharma shared a photo of her husband on her Instagram that depicts the Indian legend holding his two children. At the same time, the kids’ privacy was maintained by covering their faces with emojis.
Netizens Reaction on Virat Kohli’s Lost Composure to a Journalist at Melbourne Airport
While a certain set of fans praised Kohli’s protective action towards his family, others opposed him by commenting on his inability to handle stardom. Out of several comments, here are the most popular Netizens’ reactions to the former Indian captain’s behavior that has become trending on social media:
SUPPORTIVE REACTIONS:
- Australian journalists with zero sense.
- Unnecessary for a sports reporter to click a picture of his family.
- Leave the kids to live their normal childhood.
- Australian media dependent on Virat Kohli to gain their ratings.
OFFENSIVE REACTIONS:
- Should delete his Instagram and X (Twitter) accounts if he cares so much about his privacy.
- How long will he keep fighting against the media by not revealing his children’s faces?
- A bit of drama occurred at Melbourne Airport.
Virat Kohli or Australian Media: Who Should be Blamed for the Fault?
The misunderstandings from both sides — the over-cautioned Virat Kohli and the lack of clarity from the journalists’ side, cause no one to blame.
Although Virat’s reaction arose to protect his family’s privacy but should have handled the situation smoothly being a famous public figure.
The Australian media has been trying to convey the incident by representing Virat Kohli as arrogant. In reality, they haven’t respected his privacy, which is the basic freedom a celebrity expects in their life.
Despite a comeback with his 81st international test century in the Perth test, Team India’s run machine has found it difficult to continue with his peak form. He was able to score just 21 runs in the next three innings. Perhaps, the pressure of his suddenly deteriorating form combined with the media’s focus on his personal life, might have elevated his emotions to a higher level during this incident.
Finally, Kohli prepares for the fourth test that starts on Boxing Day (on December 26), the entire cricket world hopes that this off-field incident doesn’t affect his performance and keeps his focus constant to return to form.
