On Day 1 of the fourth Test against Australia, Kohli shoulder barged Sam Konstas after the latter walked straight towards the other end of the crease while adjusting his globes.

Kohli was seen walking towards Konstas from way outside the crease. The incident then sparked an exchange of words between Kohli and the 19-year-old.

Following this incident, the Australian tabloid ‘Sunday Times’ stooped to a new low as they used a picture of Sam Konstas with the headline, ‘Virat I Am Your Father’. The further description states, ‘Young star who rattled down Kohli and his Indians primed to get Aussies back on track’.

Netizens slam the tabloid and ‘disrespectful’ headline

Netizens are now calling out the tabloid for disrespecting Kohli, regarded as one of the greatest batters in the modern era. This is not the first time that Kohli has been criticised following the Sam Konstas incident.

Earlier, The West Australian ran headlines saying ‘Clown’ and ‘Karma’. The latter was used after Kohli was dismissed for 36 in the first innings of the Melbourne Test.

“You guys are stooping too low. Not only you are disrespecting Kohli but also bringing all the hate to a 19y/o by these stunts,” commented one user.

One user wrote, “Everything was fine, but this one..this is gross. Have some shame.” Another netizen commented, “A newspaper printing this?? There is a limit to banter and sledging as well, but this headline is in a very wrong taste. HAVE SOME SHAME!”

“Brainless, newspaper printing this? Have some shame? Oh, sorry, shameless, don’t feel shame,” another user commented.

Earlier, the ICC fined Virat Kohli 20 percent of his match fees for the incident involving Sam Konstas and handed him one demerit point. The 36-year-old accepted the sanction handed out by the match referee, Andy Pycroft.

He was charged with breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct by on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig.