5 times Virat Kohli lost his cool on the field
Virat Kohli is renowned for his extraordinary cricketing skills, leadership, and competitive spirit. Over the years, his aggressive approach on the field has made him a fan favorite. However, it has also led to a series of controversies.
Kohli’s fiery temperament and refusal to back down from confrontations — whether with opponents, fans, or even teammates — have earned him both admiration and criticism. While his passion for the game has driven India to several victories, it has also resulted in moments he would rather forget.
From infamous gestures towards the crowd to heated exchanges with fellow cricketers, Virat Kohli’s career has seen its fair share of on-field outbursts. While these incidents may seem minor in the larger context of his success, they have attracted significant media attention and criticism from both fans and experts.
Let’s look at five times Virat Kohli lost his cool on the field.
5 times Virat Kohli lost his cool on the field
#5 Verbal Spat with Jonny Bairstow (2022)
During the rescheduled fifth Test between India and England at Edgbaston in 2022, Kohli engaged in a verbal exchange with England's Jonny Bairstow. Kohli chirped at Bairstow from the slip cordon, mocking him with comments like, “A bit faster than Southee, eh?” Bairstow, initially off to a slow start, responded, leading to a heated back-and-forth between the two players.
Kohli was seen blowing a kiss to Bairstow after his dismissal. The incident attracted negative attention from fans and pundits alike, who felt that Kohli's behavior was unnecessary, given he was struggling to score runs during the period.
#4 Smashing a chair in anger (2021 IPL)
During the 2021 IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Virat Kohli lost his wicket after scoring 33 runs off 29 balls. Caught by Vijay Shankar off Jason Holder’s bowling, Kohli was furious.
As he made his way back to the pavilion, Kohli vented his frustration by attempting to break an "unbreakable" chair in the dugout. The video of Kohli's outburst went viral on social media, drawing criticism for his inability to control his emotions in the heat of the moment.
#3 Clash with Gautam Gambhir (2013 IPL)
Virat Kohli’s aggressive nature once again came to the forefront during the 2013 IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). After being dismissed by Lakshmipathy Balaji, Kohli apparently made a comment as he walked past the KKR players, who were celebrating his wicket.
Gautam Gambhir, KKR's captain, was enraged by Kohli's remark, leading to a heated exchange between the two. Both players had to be physically separated by their teammates to prevent the situation from escalating further. This on-field spat between two of India’s most high-profile cricketers remains etched in IPL history.
#2 Altercation with Naveen-ul-Haq and Gautam Gambhir (2023 IPL)
One of Virat Kohli’s most recent on-field altercations came during the 2023 IPL match between RCB and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). After Kohli instructed his bowlers to target LSG’s tailenders with bouncers, Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq confronted him.
Tension boiled over during the post-match handshake, with Gautam Gambhir also getting involved in the spat. The conflict almost led to a physical confrontation, with both Naveen and Gambhir taking shots at Kohli on social media, including Naveen’s posts involving mangoes whenever Kohli or RCB faced setbacks.
#1 The Middle Finger Incident (2012)
During India’s 2012 tour of Australia, Virat Kohli found himself in the middle of controversy during the second Test in Sydney. Fielding near the boundary, he was subjected to constant verbal abuse from a section of the Australian crowd. A frustrated Kohli responded inappropriately by showing the crowd his middle finger.
The gesture caused an immediate uproar, leading to Kohli being fined 50% of his match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the Code of Conduct. In an interview later, Kohli revealed how he had pleaded with match referee Ranjan Madugalle not to ban him. The incident remains one of the most infamous moments of his early career.