Irfan Pathan Defends Virat Kohli’s Aggression Against Travis Head but Says Handshake Snub Was Avoidable

Virat Kohli's innings didn't last long; he was dismissed for just 15 runs in the last over of the power play. After the match, when players from both teams were shaking hands as per tradition, Kohli ignored Head and moved on without acknowledging the Australian opener.

Irfan Pathan, speaking on the Kohli-Head controversy on JioHotstar, said, "I was commentating at the time. Virat also likes to play cricket like the Australian players. A little banter, a little aggression, a little talk like, 'Okay, come down and bowl a few balls.' He was just saying, 'You're not an impact player.'"

Virat Kohli didn’t shake hands with Travis Head after the match ended. pic.twitter.com/74UEXm1aUV — Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) May 22, 2026

Pathan said that Head is usually an impact player and he went off the field. He asked him to bowl, something happened, and he was calling him. Look, what happened after the game? I'm not going to talk much about it. But what happened on the field is fine, it happens. You want to play aggressively, you want to play freely, and that was a bit of banter, a bit of aggression.

However, Pathan also feels that Virat Kohli shouldn't have done that. Kohli should have avoided ignoring the handshake. He further said that it could have been avoided.

It's worth noting that Kohli's rivalry with Australian players has produced many memorable moments over the past few years. This incident also reflected that familiar competitive edge. After clips of Kohli teasing Head and later ignoring him went viral, he sparked a wave of criticism on social media. Some supporters supported Kohli's intensity, while others felt it was unnecessary. He should not have done this.