Former Australian captain Tim Paine revealed that many people advised him against sledging Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, a suggestion that often frustrated him. Kohli thrives against Australia and boasts a remarkable record of 2042 runs in 25 Tests, making him the fifth-highest run-scorer for India in red-ball cricket against the Aussies. Australia’s cricket team is known for its formidable presence, especially when playing at home, where opposition batters must contend with a hostile crowd and the sledging from home team players. However, Kohli is one of the few players who excels under such pressure, adept at handling intense situations when the opposition is aggressively targeting him.
Paine, who was once one of Kohli’s prominent Australian adversaries, believes that Kohli’s performance remains stellar regardless of whether he is sledged or not. He shared his perspective in an interview, stating, “People used to say, don’t sledge Virat. If you don’t sledge Virat… most of the time he still gets 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. 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.”
Kohli’s leadership was pivotal in India’s historic Test series victory over Australia during the 2018-19 tour, a series where Paine captained the Australian side. Kohli’s first tour of Australia in 2011-12 was a baptism by fire, as he faced intense heckling from fans while fielding. His inability to contain his temper led to an infamous incident where he showed his middle finger to the crowd during the Sydney Test. However, he responded emphatically with a century in the Adelaide Test, celebrating vociferously in front of his detractors.
During the 2015-2016 tour, Kohli was subjected to sledging by some Australian bowlers, including Mitchell Johnson. This tactic backfired spectacularly, as Kohli amassed 692 runs in the five-match series. Kohli’s ability to convert pressure into performance has cemented his status as one of the game’s greats.
Later this year, Kohli is set to renew his fierce rivalry with the Australian team in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will be held Down Under. This highly anticipated series promises to be another chapter in Kohli’s storied career against one of cricket’s most challenging opponents.
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