New Delhi: Virat Kohli is one of India’s best Test batsmen as he consistently scored runs for the Men in Blue in tough conditions. Most of the players don’t like sledging the star batter because he gets fired up and smashes the opposition’s bowlers all around the ground.
He is probably the most disliked cricketer in Australia as he always performed to the best of his ability against the Aussie bowlers. He has scored 2042 runs in 25 Test matches against Australia and is the fifth-highest run-getter for India in Test matches against Australia.
As a captain, he also won a Test series against Australia in 2018-19. When Australian players, fans and media targeted him in 2012, he replied by scoring a brilliant century in Adelaide.
When Team India toured Australia again in 2014-15, Virat was India’s main star as he scored 692 runs with the help of four centuries and a half-century. Former Australian Test captain who was also involved in a verbal banter with Kohli during the 2018-19 Test series said that people used to say don’t sledge Virat as he will score runs but if the opponent player doesn’t sledge him most of the time he still gets runs and it doesn’t really matter.
“People used to say, don’t sledge Virat. If you don’t sledge Virat… most of the time still get runs, so it doesn’t really matter whether you’re talking to him or not. I wouldn’t try too much to fire up Virat, but I would try and distract him if I could because if you can get a bit of a distraction, he might play a bad shot or lose his concentration” Paine told CricTracker.
“But it used to annoy me when people say, oh, don’t sledge him, because people don’t get better because someone’s talking to them” he added.
India’s tour of Australia in 2024-25
Rohit Sharma and Co. will face Australia in the five-match Test series starting from November 22. The first Test will be played at the Perth Stadium from November 22 to 25. The Adelaide will host the second Test from December 6 to 10, which will be a day-night affair.
The third Test is scheduled to start on December 14 at The Gabba in Brisbane. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the Boxing Day Test and The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will host the New Year’s Test.
The former Australian captain opened up on sledging Virat Kohli and said that it used to annoy him when people say don’t sledge Kohli. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
