Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah of India faced criticism on Tuesday for their "disgraceful act" directed at Australia's Sam Konstas during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. This remark followed a harsh critique from India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, aimed at the 19-year-old for his confrontations with Bumrah.

Konstas made his debut in the Boxing Day Test held in Melbourne, where he impressed by scoring multiple boundaries off Bumrah, including some audacious ramp shots. His performance incited excitement among the MCG crowd, who celebrated the young player's confidence.

Subsequently, Kohli shouldered Konstas, an action that led to punishment from the ICC for the former Indian captain. The Australian batsman also found himself in a heated exchange with Bumrah during both the second innings in Melbourne and the first innings in Sydney.

New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd criticized the two senior Indian players for their excessive reactions, expressing support for Konstas as he prepares for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

“I don’t know if he thrives on it. I think it surprised him,” Shipperd stated regarding the altercation with Bumrah, as reported by News.com.au. “I believe it was a disgraceful act and warranted a much harsher penalty than what was imposed.

“Either he or the situation got under Jasprit's skin, leading to an overly aggressive response from the team. I am confident he will overcome this and look forward to his next opportunity in Sri Lanka.”

Gambhir's criticism directed towards Australia, Konstas

During a media interaction in Sydney, Australia, head coach Andrew McDonald expressed his discontent with India for allegedly "intimidating" Konstas. In response, his Indian counterpart, Gambhir, countered the remarks by labelling Australia as "soft." Following the defeat in the final Test, the former Indian opener asserted that the Australian batter had "no right" to confront Bumrah.

"This is a demanding sport played by resilient individuals. One cannot afford to be perceived as soft. It is as straightforward as that," he stated.

"I do not believe there was anything intimidating in that situation. He had no right to engage with Jasprit Bumrah while Usman Khawaja was taking his time. He had no right to do so.

"It was not his place to interact with Jasprit Bumrah; that responsibility lay with the umpire."

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