Former Australian cricketer and commentator Simon Katich has reacted to the recent media controversies involving star Indian players Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. Simon Katich described the Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja media controversies as “mind games” from the India cricket team.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series between India and Australia is locked at 1-1. Team India secured an emphatic 295-run victory during the series opener in Perth. However, the Pat Cummins-led team outperformed in the next two games. The third match ended in a draw due to rain.
Media Controversies Surrounding Indian Stars Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja
There has been tension within the Indian camp following Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement from international cricket. A controversy erupted when Virat Kohli arrived in Melbourne with his family. Kohli was reportedly filmed by Australian media at the airport before the Boxing Day Test.
Another media controversy surrounding Ravindra Jadeja arose in Melbourne when he responded only in Hindi during a press interaction. Some Australian reporters were present but were not given answers in English, and they were told the session was exclusive to the traveling Indian media.
It’s Probably Just the Mind Games Being Played – Simon Katich
Speaking to Channel 7, Simon Katich commented on the recent media controversies involving Indian players, describing them as “mind games” from the Indian camp. Katich added that the media’s role was to promote the game, and he didn’t understand the Indian team’s approach.
“Obviously, there’s been a few things unfolding in the last week or so, that haven’t gone down well at that camp. It’s probably just the mind games being played, given the enormity of this series,” Katich said.
“The media are here to promote the game and I don’t know what the Indians are thinking at the moment. That’s their problem,” he added.
Gautam Gambhir and his support staff are hoping recent incidents do not distract the Indian team ahead of the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne on Thursday. December 26. The five-match series will conclude at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) with the New Year’s Test starting on January 3.
Team India’s Overall Performance in BGT 2024-25
KL Rahul has been India’s top scorer in the BGT 2024-25 with 235 runs, including two half-centuries. Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal have both scored a century, while debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy has made 179 runs at an average of 44.75. Ravindra Jadeja added a crucial 77 runs in the last match.
However, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Rohit Sharma have struggled with the bat in this series. India will be concerned but it is uncommon for all batters to be in top form throughout a series, especially away from home. Jasprit Bumrah picked up 21 wickets, while Mohammed Siraj took 13 wickets.
Also read: “What’s wrong…” – World Cup winner gets involved in Ravindra Jadeja vs Australian media controversy
