Top 10 cricket controversies of the decade

#8 Kohli shows the finger at the SCG in 2012

Virat Kohli brandished the middle finger gesture at the SCG in 2012

Australian cricketing stadiums are never cordial to visiting players and Virat Kohli bore that brunt at the SCG in 2012. After the Indians were pasted all around the park, the right-hander went to field on the fence hoping for a bit of calm and solace. Nothing of the sort materialised though as abuses were hurled left, right and centre, a string that ended with Kohli brandishing the middle finger to those in attendance.

And, at the very venue where the infamous Monkey Gate had unfolded, the Indians found themselves in the eye of another storm. Though that meant a bit of attention was taken away from their dire display, it certainly cast Kohli as the ultimate antagonist for oppositions.

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#7 Nigel Llong’s blunder in the inaugural day-night Test

Nigel Llong found himself in the eye of a DRS storm

Under the lights at the Adelaide Oval, Australia and New Zealand engaged themselves in the 1st ever Day-Night Test match in history. Apart from questionable shot-selection, that game had traversed peacefully until Nigel Llong, the third umpire, looked at the game from a different lens altogether.

Nathan Lyon’s attempted sweep shot with Australia tottering at 117-8 seemingly struck his bat before hitting his shoulder and popping up to gully. After being given not-out, the Kiwis went for the review, only for images to confirm their suspicion.

In a startling turn of events though, Llong upheld the original decision, famously quipping that the mark on the bat ‘could’ve come from anywhere’. More amazingly though, that moment changed the complexion of the contest, with Australia staging a comeback to eventually win the encounter.

And, Nigel Llong and the case of the mysterious spot on the bat unwittingly wrote itself into cricketing folklore.