Kohli: High-Voltage Cricket, No Unnecessary Tension vs Australia

The India-Australia Rivalry: Less Fire on the Field?

From Shikhar Dhawan’s verbal clashes to David Warner’s provocations, the India-Australia rivalry has been known for its intensity. However, are we witnessing a shift in the dynamics of this historic competition? There was a time when the tension between both teams seemed on the verge of coming to blows. India’s tour to Australia in 2018-19 promised to be the most conflictive, but before that, the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town changed something. The subsequent series was characterized by jokes, but nothing as aggressive as what we were used to seeing. Later, during the World Cup, the Indian captain, Virat Kohli, asked the fans to stop booing Steven Smith, who was returning after his suspension. Before the start of the 2020-21 test series, some wonder if the newfound respect will compromise the intensity of the matches. On the eve of the first Test in Adelaide, Kohli explained that the best relationships are due to the fact that players from both teams play together in the IPL, which allows them to get to know each other better. In addition, the personalities involved are now more mature and secure. After the Cape Town incident, Australia recognized the need to improve its behavior and has worked to find the balance between competitiveness and exemplary behavior. This year, people have re-evaluated their priorities, realizing how unnecessary certain things were.

“I think this year has also made people realize that many things might not have been necessary in the past, where you hold grudges and have unnecessary tension between teams and individuals, which is absolutely useless,” Kohli commented.

Virat Kohli

Kohli acknowledged that Australia has changed “to some extent.” He attributed this change to a combination of factors, including the IPL, Australia’s change of focus, and the current situation. “We should maintain the quality of cricket. There will be banter here and there all the time. That’s the highest level of cricket we play, and it’s going to be very competitive. There’s going to be tension, stress, and emotions that will flare up from time to time. I don’t foresee anything becoming personal. I think we’re all getting smarter and have a few more years in our careers. So we’re going to make better and smarter decisions and make sure the quality of cricket is maintained,” Kohli said. In summary, the India-Australia rivalry remains intense, but with a more mature and respectful approach on the field.