Image credit: Channel 7

Kohli landed in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, a day after the third game, in Brisbane, ended in a draw, leaving the series at 1-1. The Brisbane Test marked the final international appearance for India great Ravichandran Ashwin.

On Thursday morning, Australia’s Channel 7 reported that Kohli had a terse exchange with TV journalist at the Melbourne airport, sharing pictures where the India batter is seen engaging with media personnel before walking away.

There are no clips of the incident available yet* to confirm the veracity of those claims, but Channel 7 suggests “Kohli appeared to be upset by the presence of cameras directed at his family.”

According to the report, Kohli walked off, before turning back again and having a few more words.

Kohli has always been very protective of his family’s privacy, especially during travel days when they are easy exposure to paparazzi around airports and hotels. It is understood that Kohli has moved to the UK to be away from the intense public scrutiny that follows him, especially shielding his two young kids, the younger of whom is yet to turn one.

The India team has been closely followed through the ongoing Test series, with a sizeable contingent of Indian journalists travelling alongside local Australian reporters across the four venues so far.

In 2022, Kohli had requested the media to abstain from publishing pictures of Vamika, who had then turned one. Akaay, his son, is close to the same age now. Cameras have repeatedly captured Kohli asking shutterbugs not to turn their cameras towards the family over the last few years.

*Update:

A clip of the incident, shared later by 7news, makes it clear how the “exchange” was far less heated than what was being reported.

Kohli is heard telling the media: “With my kids, I need some privacy yeah? You can’t film without asking me”.

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