Watch: Virat Kohli’s stump mic rant after dismissal of South Africa’s Dean Elgar is overturned

India vs South Africa: Virat Kohli made his frustration clear by kicking the ground and venting into a stump mike when the decision went in favour of the opposite team. (Screengrab from video tweeted by @ThatXolani)

Cricketer Virat Kohli and his teammates did not hold back while expressing their frustration during the third Test match between India and South Africa in Cape Town on Thursday after the dismissal of Dean Elgar from the rival team was overturned.

Indian spinner R Ashwin had trapped Elgar, the South African Test captain, in the front and umpire Marais Erasmus give it a leg before wicket. Elgar then asked for an Umpire Decision Review, which ruled that the ball would have gone over the stumps.

Kohli and Indian players on the stump mic #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/fXs6x8RFtD

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— Xolani (@ThatXolani) January 13, 2022

The decision irked Kohli, who made his frustration clear by kicking the ground and venting into a stump mike.

"Focus on your team while they shine the ball, not just the opposition," he told host broadcaster SuperSport. "Trying to catch people all the time."

Ashwin and KL Rahul seemed to allege that the decision review system was rigged

“You should find better ways to win, SuperSport,” Ashwin said.

KL Rahul said the “whole country is against 11 guys.” The players’ behaviour in South Africa has drawn criticism. 

“This is really bad,” former cricketer Gautam Gambhir told Star Sports. “What Kohli did, going near the stump mic and reacting in that manner, that is really immature.”

Cricketer Shreevats Goswami described the comments of the Indian team in South Africa as unnecessary. “Accept and play on please,” he added.

Unnecessary comment , accept and play on please #INDvsSA

— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) January 13, 2022

Journalist Arun Gopalakrishnan described Kohli as “unsportsman-like”. “Use your passion and aggression to spur you & your side, not to accuse others of cheating," he added.

If India deserve to win this Test, it is for Pant, & Bumrah, & Shami. Not for that other guy, who is so unsportsman-like despite being one, who thinks he can say & do what he wants. Use your passion & aggression to spur you & your side, not to accuse others of cheating.#SAvINd

— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) January 13, 2022

Some people on Twitter were even less forgiving. "He [Kohli] behaved like a sore loser the way the statements were made on the stump mic,” a Twitter user named Sukhinder Anand said.

Virat Kohli should worry about team selection, batting of the team. He behaved like a sore loser the way the statements were made on the stump mic. #INDvsSA

— Sukhinder Anand (@AnandSukhinder) January 13, 2022