NEW DELHI: Former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe has issued an apology for his controversial comments regarding Virat Kohli, following a confrontation with debutant Sam Konstas during the fourth Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
O’Keeffe had earlier criticised Kohli’s behaviour, suggesting that the Indian star “built his entire career on arrogance”.
His remarks came after Kohli’s on-field face-off with Konstas, where the aggressive Kohli appeared to take exception to the debutant’s rising stake.
O’Keeffe’s comments, made during a live broadcast, were harsh and claimed that Kohli was unable to handle another player matching his intensity.
On Thursday, he said, “Kohli has built his entire career on arrogance. Kohli has built his whole career on arrogance. Suddenly, he identified that in a debutant and seemed to resent it.”
The ex-cricketer’s remarks were quickly met with backlash from fans and pundits alike, with many questioning the appropriateness of his words.
In his apology, O’Keeffe expressed regret for labelling Kohli’s competitive spirit as arrogance, clarifying his position, “I want to apologise for calling Virat Kohli’s behaviour arrogance. I shouldn’t have said that. He has got a swagger and plays his cricket like that. I think when he saw another player showing swagger like him, he got a bit annoyed and reacted in that fashion. Kohli is a passionate cricketer and his aggression is what makes him a competitive cricketer.”
Kohli, who had been charged by the ICC for a shoulder bump with Konstas, was fined 20% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. He also received one demerit point for inappropriate physical contact with another player.