The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground has taken a backseat to the drama between Virat Kohli and rookie Sam Konstas, along with the media's reactions in both countries, which have become quite the spectacle during the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy match.

After a wave of criticism aimed at Kohli from former Australian cricketers and the press, ex-Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan stepped up to defend him. He passionately highlighted the hypocrisy of the Australian media's stance.

On a Star Sports show, Pathan remarked, "Honestly, the newspapers and media here, along with the former Aussie cricketers, have really crossed the line with their hypocrisy. They elevate one player to royalty, and the moment he shows some fire, they label him a clown.”

Pathan pointed out the headlines and articles that were criticizing Kohli for his shove on Konstas at the start of day one. He emphasized that the Indian side wasn’t trying to clear Kohli’s name but was simply leaving the decision to the officials.

“We don’t back that behavior; we just said the match referee will handle it. Just because you want to boost sales, you’re turning him from a king into a clown to make cricket more appealing,” Pathan stated.

“You’re riding on Virat Kohli’s fame, exploiting his marketability for your gain,” he added. “As former cricketers, we can’t stand for this, especially as Indian cricketers.”

Pathan shares his thoughts on the Damien Martyn situation

Pathan reminisced about a run-in he had with Australian batsman Damien Martyn back in 2004, noting that he faced a similar situation even then. “This kind of thing has been going on for ages, and if we don’t address it now, it’ll keep happening. The first time I got fined was after I dismissed Damien Martyn. I was just clapping, but he started hurling insults at me. He went quiet while I was celebrating, and I ended up getting penalized while he walked away scot-free,” the left-arm bowler shared.

He didn’t hold back when criticizing the Australian media's attitude towards visiting teams, calling out their hypocrisy. “This behavior has been their norm for years. We’re expected to play by the rules, but they don’t seem to do the same,” he added.

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