In a viral video. Australian captain Pat Cummins shared an amusing yet insightful experience about the fervent fandom surrounding Indian cricket superstar, Virat Kohli. Acknowledging Kohli as a formidable opponent and a player almost worshipped by Indian fans, Cummins recounted an incident where he found himself in hot water with Kohli’s passionate supporters on social media.

Pat Cummins’ incident with Virat Kohli

Cummins, during a light-hearted interaction, recalled a specific comment he made about Kohli in 2018, a few months before India’s tour of Australia for the four-Test series of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cummins had complimented Kohli, calling him a “gun player,” but also expressed his hope that Kohli would not score a century against Australia. This remark, though intended as a compliment, led to an unexpected backlash from the fans when Kohli did exactly by scoring a century that in the second Test at Perth.

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Historical context: India vs Australia

Kohli’s century in Perth was a standout performance in a series where India, under his captaincy, achieved a historic first-ever Test series win in Australia. India won the series opener in Adelaide by 31 runs and the Boxing Day Test at the MCG by 137 runs, taking a 2-1 lead before the final Test in Sydney ended in a draw. Despite the loss in Perth, Kohli’s ton was a highlight of India’s dominant performance throughout the series.

The fallout with fans

Despite Australia’s victory in that match in Perth by 146 runs, Cummins’ social media accounts were flooded with messages from Kohli’s fans. He humorously noted how any comment about Kohli, even a complimentary one, can provoke a strong reaction from his vast and ardent fanbase. Cummins remarked, “If you live on social media at all, you get absolutely hounded by them. Say anything about Kohli and look out for the next few years. I remember I said something a few years ago and it was actually a compliment. I said that he is a gun player and hoped he would not score 100 and then after six months when he scored a 100, my social media blew up,”

Pat Cummins says, “Virat kohli fans are mostly jobless”. pic.twitter.com/RaP3PIUxrJ

— smithy (@stevesmith50) June 2, 2024

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