Virat Kohli’s Cheeky Gesture Reminds Fans of Ball-Tampering Scandal

Kohli’s Cheeky Nod to the Sandpaper Scandal

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Indian cricket star Virat Kohli stirred up controversy with a playful reference to Australia’s infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal. On the third day of the Sydney Test, Kohli, leading the team in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, faced loud jeers from the Australian crowd. In response, Kohli pointed to his empty pockets, humorously implying he had no sandpaper or tools to tamper with the ball.

This cheeky gesture came after Steve Smith was dismissed, reigniting memories of the 2018 Cape Town Test, where Australian players were caught using sandpaper to alter the ball’s condition. The moment, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media.

Revisiting the 2018 Sandpaper Scandal

The 2018 scandal remains one of the darkest chapters in Australian cricket. During the Cape Town Test against South Africa, Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were implicated in using sandpaper to manipulate the ball for reverse swing. The incident was caught on camera, leading to bans for all three players and a massive fallout for Australian cricket.

Kohli and Sharma’s Struggles with Form

While Kohli’s gesture grabbed headlines, his performance in the five-Test series was less remarkable. Kohli managed just 190 runs at an average of 23.75, with scores of 7, 11, 3, 36, 5, 17, and 6 across the series. Similarly, Rohit Sharma struggled, scoring only 31 runs in three matches before opting out of the fifth Test due to poor form.

Australia Reclaims the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was filled with drama and memorable moments. Australia clinched the series 3-1 after defeating India in the fifth Test, marking their first win in a five-match series in a decade. This victory also ended their drought of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on home soil since the 2014-15 series.

The series highlighted both teams’ strengths and weaknesses, but Australia’s consistent performances ultimately secured their triumph.