What Kohli did with the shoulder bump is simply not cricket: Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar did not mince his words, taking a dig at India skipper Rohit Sharma and senior batter Virat Kohli. Gavaskar believes Rohit was out of his depth during the Australia tour, where he managed just 31 runs in five innings. He also lashed out at Kohli for his behaviour during the series, where he shoulder barged Sam Konstas and also emptied his pocket to indicate he had that he did not have sandpaper in his pocket, reigniting the 2018 sandpaper-gate scandal that rocked Australian cricket.

Kohli's form, too, was not up to the mark, managing just 190 runs in the series, out of which 100 came in one innings in Perth. He was caught behind or at the slip cordon eight out of nine times in the series.

"With his continued failures to avoid nibbling at the deliveries around the off-stump, he failed to make the contribution that could have boosted the total," Gavaskar wrote on Sydney Morning Herald, referring to Kohli.

"The skipper, Rohit Sharma, was out of his depth and having taken the brave decision to step aside, because of his form, he has also raised big questions about his future in Test cricket. Gavaskar was not happy with the way Kohli carried himself outside the field, elaborating that whatever he does affects the others in the team as well.

"Kohli must understand that whatever he does to react to the crowd actually puts more pressure on his teammates, who also then become targets of the spectators," Gavaskar wrote.

"What Kohli did with the shoulder bump is simply not cricket. Indians are not shy to retaliate if provoked, but here the provocation was simply not there. 

"The one thing that players learn with experience is that it’s futile to try and get back at the crowds, who have come to have a good time, so booing players is never personal but just a way to entertain themselves. To react to that doesn’t do the player any good, and in fact does more harm."