Indian players vs Australian press: Explaining the Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja controversies

Indian cricket team players are currently touring Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With the series tied at 1-1, there is plenty of drama left to be unfolded on the pitch, but Indian stars Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja saw a bit of it off the field as well.

Kohli had a run-in with the Australian media where he expressed displeasure at a journalist from the country 'filming' his children. A 7 News report notes that the Indian batter lashed out at the Aussie journalist over what was a seeming misunderstanding.

"It was upon seeing the waiting cameras that Kohli became a little heated over what is largely a misunderstanding when he thought the media was filming him with his children," a reporter was quoted saying.

Meanwhile, Kohli reportedly said "With my kids, I need some privacy, you can’t film without asking me."

The issue was later clarified when it was made clear to Kohli that the cameras were not trained on his kids. Kohli has been touchy about his children being covered by the media and has repeatedly sought privacy appealing to Indian media. However, overseas, his action did not go down well with an Australian journo calling him a 'bully.'

Nine sports reporter Tony Jones said "Nat was out there with a cameraman, a Channel 7 reporter was out there with his cameraman and they were doing what we do on a daily basis essentially, and that’s be at the airport to actually get identities, whether they’re politicians, whether they’re sporting identities or whatever," adding, "He took umbrage, he being Virat Kohli, to the fact the cameras were focused on him."

The reporter continued, "Well duh! You’re a batting superstar, you’re a global superstar in the world of cricket, and he takes umbrage to the fact that the attention is focused on him. What really got my back up when I saw the footage was that he turned around to the three blokes, the two cameramen and the reporter from Channel 7, and said you guys are OK, it’s her."

The Australian media person further added "Really? Big tough man, Virat...stood over this girl, Nat Yoannidis, who’s about five foot one, five foot two, and just absolutely berated her."

"You’re nothing but a bully, Virat," he ended.

A few days after the Kohli incident, Jadeja found himself in the eye of the storm with the Australian media alleging that the Indian cricketer had not answered any question in English, and had not answered queries by members of the Australian press. It was made clear reportedly, that the event was organised for Indian media primarily, and one journalist told India Today even though there were those among the Indian press too, who had been unable to ask questions, but it was the Australian journalist who raised a hue and cry over the same.

The controversy eventually led to a planned T20 match between Indian and Australian media being cancelled, as Team India's media manager pulled out, prompting similar action from other participants. Thus the teams were left short of players and the event was scrapped, MyKhel reported.

Former Australian cricket Simon Katich slammed Indian cricketers over the incidents, and said that the Australian media was there to promote the Test series. He added that Kohli and Jadeja's actions were probably part of 'mind games'.

"Obviously, there’s been a few things unfolding in the last week or so, that haven’t gone down well at that camp. It’s probably just the mind games being played, given the enormity of this series," Katch said on Channel 7, as per media reports, adding, "The media are here to promote the game and I don’t know what the Indians are thinking at the moment. That’s their problem."