Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

[LP]

The umps are piss weak and running scared they will be vetoed by the Indians if they try to put a stop to their on field games. It's part of a concerted effort to assert maximum pressure on the officials to get favourable outcomes within the match.

It's not a vetoe they are worried about, they are worried about having their throat cut while they sleep, in the same manner Kohli motioned to Handscomb.

Even the foreign media are running scared, they refuse to comment on such issues until they are clear of the country.

And as you mention, for Kohli and Kumble it's all about influencing the outcome, but the repercussions of their actions go much further and Kohli and Kumble rely on that to add gravity to the decisions that are made.