“Paper toh bikenge na” - Sunil Gavaskar supports Virat Kohli while slamming Australian media during BGT 2024-25 4th Test

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has come out in support of Virat Kohli, slamming the Australian media for hypocrisy. Gavaskar pointed out that the Australian media is using Kohli at their convenience while also targeting him throughout the series.

Kohli is in the middle of yet another controversy after his shoulder barge with Sam Konstas on the opening day (December 26) of the ongoing fourth Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test.

The Australian media is after Virat once again, accusing the ICC of letting Kohli walk away with their lenience after the controversy with Sam Konstas.

"Kohli ki aap agar photo dalenge, toh paper toh bikenge na. Yaha ke joh televisions hai, unhone jo captain ki dikhayi hai - ek Pat Cummins ko dikhaya hai aur Rohit Sharma ko nahi dikhaya. Yeh mujhe lagta hai theek nahi hai. Rohit Sharma kaptan hai. Unhone dikhaya Kohli ko. Kohli kaptain hai hi nahi. Kohli vice-captain bhi hai nahi. Phir bhi unhone dikhaya. Kyunki aapko unke naam se fayda uthana hai (If you put Kohli's photo, the newspapers will sell. The televisions here have shown Pat Cummins and not Rohit Sharma. I feel this is not right. Rohit is the captain. They have shown Kohli. Kohli is not the captain. Neither is Kohli the vice-captain. Even then they have shown Kohli because they want to benefit from his name)," Gavaskar reflected on Star Sports.

Gavaskar added that the Australian media need Virat Kohli to gain an advantage, but also need him when they want to target someone, which is not right.

"Aapko jab chahiye, toh aapko Kohli chahiye. Jab aapko target karna hai, toh bhi aapko Kohli chahiye. Yeh bilkul baat sahi nahi hai, (When you want to use him, you need Kohli. When you want to target, you need Kohli then too. This is not right)," Gavaskar said.

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Virat Kohli dismissed after a solid start in Melbourne

Amid all the controversy, Virat Kohli is also fighting to regain his prime form. Apart from his century in Perth, he is yet to fire in the series. In India's second innings in Melbourne on Friday (December 27), the right-hander showed some positive signs before he was again dismissed playing the outside off-stump delivery.

He looked in a good space and was leaving the balls outside the off-stump before eventually falling prey to the very delivery that has haunted him for a long time now.

Virat Kohli got to a well-made 36 off 86 deliveries but threw his wicket away after making a solid start. At the end of play on Day 2, India lost half the side for 164 runs on the board, trailing by 310 runs.