Australian media try to troll Kohli by putting him in same bracket as animals

Even as ‘brain fade’ gate appeared to be behind both the India and Australia teams, a new controversy has emerged.

CHENNAI: Even as ‘brain fade’ gate appeared to be behind both the India and Australia teams, a new controversy has emerged. This time thanks to the Australian media. Fox Sports Australia have nominated India captain Virat Kohli in their weekly poll, ‘Vettel of the Week’. The poll, obviously meant as a piss-take following the events in Bengaluru, has Kohli alongside a panda, a puppy and a kitten in the form of a collage.

Its caption read: “Recent events have prompted a return of our Vettel of the Week award. Kids, ask your grandparents. The rest of you know the drill.”

Screen grab of the Fox website showing him as winner of the award

For people who are not familiar with the concept, it basically involves voting on who has displayed the worst sportsman spirit among the given options. Fox are quiet on the matter of why Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb do not feature – the main perpetrators behind the DRS controversy that threatened to engulf the series before the two boards called a time-out on the whole matter.

This isn’t the first time that the Indian skipper has been featured in a non-flattering poll in the Australian media. Back in 2015, Kohli, who was still coming to terms with his superstar status, was the subject of a ‘jerk of the week’ survey by the news.com.au website. While his brilliant essays in the Tests were met with standing applause by match-going spectators, his verbal sparring with the Australian team did not go down too well with a few media houses.   

The latest poll, named after Sebastien Vettel after he brazenly disobeyed team orders to win the 2013 Malaysian GP from Australian Mark Webber, seems to have gotten the attention of Indian fans who have been screaming racism.

“Are you guys really a national news channel,” one commenter posted. “How can you promote such pathetic racism? You guys should accept the defeat and move on. Stop acting like cry babies.” Another Indian fan went further to suggest this post meant that the Australians are scared. “We are still happy. When people troll, that means they are scared.”

While the war of words is set to intensify off the pitch, the teams themselves are enjoying a small break before the third Test begins in Ranchi on Thursday.