Virat Kohli is ‘immature’, will never be idol to youngsters, says Gautam Gambhir after DRS controversy

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was quick to slam Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli for acting like an ‘immature’ player.

Team India Test skipper Virat Kohli reacts after Dean Elgar DRS review. (Source: Twitter)

India skipper Virat Kohli and his teammates lost their cool during the final 45 minutes on the third day after rival skipper Dean Elgar got a massive reprieve due to a contentious DRS decision. Some of the unsavoury comments made about umpiring and technology as well as broadcasters might not go down well with the match referee and the Indian skipper may have to cop a financial penalty.

The incident happened in the 21st over when Ravichandran Ashwin flighted one which dipped and then straightened to beat a lunging Elgar’s bat. Umpire Marais Erasmus straightaway lifted his finger but Elgar appealed for DRS.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was quick to slam Indian Test skipper Kohli for acting like an ‘immature’ player.

“Kohli is very immature. It's worst for an Indian captain to say like this in stumps. By doing this you will never be an idol to youngsters,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.

“In the first innings, you got a 50-50 call on caught behind then you were silent and in Mayank appeal too. I think Dravid will talk to him on this topic,” he added.

Can't believe Elgar survived LBW review. Not right when you bowl the right length, hit batsman under the knee roll & ball is going over the stumps. Side on view needed to be looked out on such instances. Hard on umpire. Again DRS is for the howlers not this. #INDvSA — Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) January 14, 2022

While it looked dead plumb, the reversal of decision saw Kohli kicking the ground in disgust as all kinds of chatter started. The players knowing that the stump microphone catches every bit of verbal stuff, the players made it a point to let everyone in South Africa know their feelings.

“Focus on your team while they shine the ball. Not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time,” Kohli was heard as saying on the stump-mic while the likes of Ashwin and Rahul also seemed to have alleged that the images shown on the screen by the ball-tracking system were flawed.

(with PTI inputs)