Australian Media’s Mind Games: Targeting Kohli, Jadeja, and Now Akash Deep Before Boxing Day Test

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 24–25 series, tied at 1–1 after three matches, has created a lot of excitement for the Boxing Day Test starting on 26 December. This match is very important for both teams. But what’s making the news isn’t just the cricket — it’s how the Australian media is twisting stories to upset the Indian cricket team.

Virat Kohli’s Controversy with Channel 9 Reporter

The drama started right after the Indian team arrived in Melbourne. Virat Kohli, traveling with his family, noticed a female reporter from the Australian media trying to film his family. Kohli politely asked the media not to record his family, saying, “You can film me, but not my family,” and requested that the video be deleted due to a breach of privacy, especially when someone is filming his family without permission. However, the Australian media exaggerated the story, portraying it as a sign of Kohli losing his temper, even labeling him as a bully for allegedly targeting a female reporter. This narrative was set by the Australian press.

Jadeja Criticized for Not Taking Any Questions from Australian Media

Ravindra Jadeja attended a press conference after India’s first net session in Melbourne. He chose to answer questions in Hindi, which led to the assumption that Jadeja was avoiding questions from the Australian media by speaking in Hindi. This made him the next target of criticism. The Australian media claimed that Jadeja’s decision to speak in Hindi was meant to “insult” them following the Kohli incident. This view quickly spread, even though Jadeja often speaks in his native language to communicate more effectively.

Akash Deep Criticized for Avoiding Australian Media

The latest story involved Akash Deep, who spoke at a press conference. Not very confident in English, he answered all questions in Hindi. Both Indian and Australian media were present, and after the drama on the last day, the Indian team’s media manager gave permission for Australian media to ask questions. The question was asked by an Indian journalist on behalf of Channel 7, an Australian media house, to keep things balanced. There should have been no issue with this, and everyone should have been happy with that. However, the Australian media is creating new narratives, claiming that India has been continuously sending Hindi speakers to the last two press meetings to disrespect their press by avoiding English questions.

The Australian media is crafting these stories to put pressure on Team India before the Boxing Day Test. This clearly reflects their frustration and fear of losing, especially after India avoided the follow-on in the third Test and fought hard to secure a draw.