Back in 2012, during India's tour to Australia, a photograph of Virat Kohli had gone viral on the internet. In the photo, Virat was seen showing his middle finger to the Australian crowd. Speaking to Wisden Cricket Monthly, Virat Kohli said that it is one episode he would like to forget. "The one thing I remember most is when I'd had enough of the Australian crowd at Sydney [in 2012] and I just decided to flick a [middle] finger at them," Virat Kohli said.
Remembering the incident Virat Kohli said, "The match referee [Ranjan Madugalle] called me to his room the next day and I'm like, 'What's wrong?' He said, 'What happened at the boundary yesterday?' I said, 'Nothing, it was a bit of banter'. Then he threw the newspaper in front of me and there was this big image of me flicking on the front page and I said, 'I'm so sorry, please don't ban me!' I got away with that one. He was a nice guy, he understood I was young and these things happen."
Following the incident, Kohli had posted a tweet.
i agree cricketers dont have to retaliate. what when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst ive heard
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 4, 2012
Recalling the days when he had accumulated a number of negative headlines, Virat Kohli said, "I really laugh at a lot of the things I did when I was younger but I'm proud that I did not change my ways because I was always going to be who I am and not change for the world or for anyone else. I was pretty happy with who I was."
