New Delhi: Ahead of the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon shared an unheard story of how Team India star Virat Kohli sledged him using tennis legend Roger Federer’s name during the Adelaide Test between India and Australia in 2014. Kohli slammed hundreds in both innings of the Test match and enjoyed a sublime outing against the hosts.
Not one to shy away from getting on the opponents’ nerves and sledging them, Kohli sledged Lyon uniquely during the Test match. Sledging and mind games have traditionally been part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy over the years with players from both sides doing their best to unsettle their opponents. However, Australia have always been wary of teasing Kohli, who often produces his best when poked.
Nonetheless, the former India captain has himself given it back to the Aussies on several occasions. Lyon recalled how during the Adelaide Test Kohli was batting beautifully and taunted by referring to Federer. The Aussie spinner revealed every time Kohli would come on the non-striker’s end, he would shout ‘Federer’, leaving Lyon baffled. Eventually, Kohli revealed why he was shouting ‘Federer’ when probed by Lyon.
“The one battle that comes out to me is the 2014 Test at Adelaide Oval where he (Kohli) got hundreds in both innings. I was bowling to him and he was batting that easily. He’d come down to the non-striker’s end and just say ‘Federer’. And I was like ‘Oh, okay, what’s this?’ He kept doing it, kept doing it every time. Every time he’d come down there, he was like ‘Federer, Federer’,” Lyon said in a video shared by Cricket Australia on their X handle.
“And I said ‘Mate, I don’t know if I’m wrong, but are we playing the wrong sport if you think you’re Roger Federer.’ And he goes ‘Nah, nah, I’ve got a beautiful forehand’. I’m just like ‘Ah, okay.’ You’re a decent player when you can just sit there and do that mid-innings,” he added.
Nathan Lyon’s “Federer” story about Virat Kohli from 2014 is simply incredible! 🤯 #AUSvIND
See the full video here: https://t.co/ITqfTokuKr pic.twitter.com/LsR7imr4Xz
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 19, 2024
Playing his first Test as India’s captain in Adelaide in 2014, Kohli proved his mettle against Australia with back-to-back centuries in both innings. He scored 115 runs in the 1st innings followed by a 141-run knock in the second innings. However, India ended up falling short in the end and lost the Test match by 48 runs.
Virat Kohli vs Nathan Lyon will be a battle to watch out for
The battle between Kohli and Lyon in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will be one to watch out for. Kohli’s struggles against spin have been well-documented over the last few years and it remains to be seen how the senior India batter will tackle the Australian spinner in the upcoming series.
Kohli has not been in great form heading into the blockbuster 5-match rubber but will be looking to extend his sublime record in Australia. The Indian batter has scored 1352 runs in 13 Tests in Australia at an average of 53.14 with 4 centuries to his name.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon recently recalled how Virat Kohli used Roger Federer’s name to seldge him during the Adelaide Test between India and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2014. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
