From moments of tension on the field to the evolution towards a more respectful rivalry, the relationship between India and Australia has undergone a notable change.
In 2013, Shikhar Dhawan joked with an injured Shane Watson, and in 2014-15, David Warner was the official provocateur. The history of this rivalry includes moments of confrontation, but also of respect, especially after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town.
The India tour to Australia in 2018-19 promised to be tense, but the incident in Cape Town marked a turning point.
Virat Kohli, India’s captain, asked fans to stop booing Steven Smith, showing a change in attitude.
Before the start of the 2020-21 test series, the question arose as to whether this new respect would compromise the intensity of the matches.
Kohli attributes this change to the shared experience in the IPL and the maturity of the players.
“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 tensions between teams and individuals, which is absolutely useless”.
Virat KohliAustralia has shown an effort to improve its behavior, seeking a balance between competitiveness and sportsmanship.
Kohli emphasizes that the quality of cricket should be the most important thing, although the intensity and competition remain.
Mutual respect on the field is evident, and competitiveness is expected to continue.
Kohli highlights the importance of intelligence and the choice of wiser decisions by the players.
The exchange of jokes is expected to continue, but without getting personal.Virat Kohli: “La apreciación por el desempeño o el coraje de alguien llega al final de los cinco días, eso es lo que creo”Kohli is respected in Australia for his competitive attitude.
Players strive to give their best within the rules to win.
Kohli acknowledges that the quality of cricket should not be compromised.
The intensity and emotion on the field are inevitable, but mutual respect is fundamental.
The goal is to compete at the highest level and appreciate the effort of both teams at the end of the game.
The rivalry between India and Australia remains intense and competitive.
