Toxicity ‘can harm cricket’

New Delhi – A leading Indian commentator has hit out at the “toxicity” blighting the series against Australia, and called for both sides to show restraint before the winner-takes-all final Test begins on Saturday.

Harsha Bhogle fears that the glorification of aggressive on-field behaviour by media on both sides and passions boiling over could harm Test cricket’s reputation with the series deadlocked at 1-1.

The latest barbs have seen Indian skipper Virat Kohli (above) dubbed “the Donald Trump of sport” in one Australian newspaper and former Test bowler Geoff Lawson accusing Kohli of acting like “your worst behaved player”.

India’s newspapers fired back, accusing Australian media of a relentless “hate campaign” throughout the series.

“Friends in Australia tell me they are perturbed by the toxicity this series has generated. Cricket lovers in India saying so too,” Bhogle said on Twitter.

“If we have to use toxicity and divisiveness to spread our game, we are using a short-term approach that can only be harmful,” added the veteran TV analyst.

Tensions have been ramped up since Kohli stopped just short of accusing Australian captain Steve Smith of cheating in the aftermath of the second Test in Bangalore, which India won to level the series at 1-1.

The rancour was inflamed in the drawn third Test in Ranchi as Australia batted out the fifth day for a draw and allrounder Glenn Maxwell was accused of mocking Kohli’s shoulder injury.