Ricky Ponting's surprising confession about Virat Kohli amid the fallout of the public drama

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting has weighed in Virat Kohli's ugly public moment late on day two of the fourth Test and says it shows the pressure seems to have gotten to the Indian superstar. Kohli was involved in a terrible run-out with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Friday's final session at the MCG before being dismissed for 36 when he tried to attack Scott Boland and fell one behind Alex Carey.

Kohli has also shouldered Aussie debutant Sam Konstas on the first day in an incident that saw him condemned in the cricketing world. The India veteran was given a one-point penalty and fined 20% of his match fee for the incident. Ponting among those who suggested he should have been suspended.

Those dramas came after a mix-up at Melbourne airport before the fourth Test Kohli clashed with members of the Australian media after he thought they were filming his children without permission. The incidents appear to have taken their toll on the 36-year-old, who is regularly targeted for sledgehammering by home fans, especially after the Konstas incident on Boxing Day.

Things came to a head on Friday afternoon when Kohli returned to the pavilion, behind the Jaiswal run-out that led to an Indian collapse of 3-6. Home fans handed it to Kohli as he walked through the tunnel, and the veteran had to be led away after turning and glaring at some of the MCG crowd.

Ponting sympathized with Kohli after earning his share of sledgehammer during a glittering playing career, especially from English fans during the Ashes series in the UK. But the former Aussie Test captain says he was surprised Kohli responded to the crowd's backlash and believes the pressure has fallen on the Indian superstar.

Ricky Ponting thinks Virat Kohli is succumbing to pressure

“It's going to happen all over the world,” Ponting said in Seven's coverage of the crowd sledding. If I had turned around every time I left the field in Britain there would be incidents left, right and center You show up” (and) watch the game, enjoy the game, you don't have to say anything to the players.

The thing with him (Kohli), the situation he is in, the pressure he is under, he will hear every little bit of negativity now. He won't think about the good things, he won't think about the happiness he has, and he will hear every little negative thing that comes his way. We've all been there. You find yourself in that situation, especially when you are traveling abroad and your team is under pressure.

Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox said he had spoken to the MCG ground staff and was confident the home fans had not overstepped the mark. And neither Kohli nor the Indian team officials decided to file an official complaint. You never feel comfortable, especially when you have fans who interact intensively with a player, Fox told SEN.

There was a bit of bickering, late on, and Kohli has clearly put his head back. I would be concerned if it was really offensive and with physical contact or abuse, that's pushing boundaries. Luckily that wasn't the case, but Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar said he was unimpressed by the boos Kohli received. The question I always ask is: What have you done in your own life that you think gives you the authority to call out such an achiever? That was completely inappropriate, Gavaskar told Seven.

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India started day three at 5-164 but lost two quick wickets when Scott Boland removed Akash Deep for a duck and Rishabh Pant for 28. Pant unnecessarily threw away his wicket in an attempt to belt Boland to the boundary with a reckless shot that left the drew ire from the cricketing world and left India in a huge hole. Nathan Lyon then took his first wicket of the match after trapping Ravindra Jadeja (17) LBW before lunch to ram home Australia's advantage.