Virat Kohli has landed in controversy once again in the ongoing India tour of England. Kohli is part of the ODI squad and the team arrived in Cardiff ahead of the second game of the three-match series. Social media has erupted in storm after journalists alleged that his personal bodyguard verbally abused accredited media personnel.
According to RevSportz journalist Subhayan Chakraborty and Jagran News journalist Abhishek Tripathi, accredited media personnel were filming the team's departure. They were standing inside the designated media zone with valid accreditation cards. Kohli had already boarded the team bus when the incident allegedly occurred.
The journalists alleged that Kohli's bodyguard approached one of the reporters and repeatedly shouted, "F*** off." The reporter said he identified himself as an accredited journalist. He also showed his official accreditation card.
Despite this, the bodyguard allegedly continued using abusive language. Tripathi claimed the guard had misbehaved with the media on previous occasions as well. He also alleged that the guard damaged a fan's mobile phone during the incident.
In a post on X, Tripathi questioned whether the bodyguard was appointed by the BCCI or privately hired by Kohli. He demanded action if the guard was part of the BCCI's security setup. He also questioned how a player was allowed to have a personal bodyguard.
Neither Kohli nor the BCCI has responded to the allegations. The claims remain unverified at the time of writing. No official clarification has been issued. It is fair to note that no other member of the Indian squad had their personal security alongside, with the likes of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma freely signing autographs for the gathered fans.
