The India-Australia Rivalry: A New Chapter in Cricket?
From verbal clashes on the field to the most personal battles, the rivalry between India and Australia has been legendary. However, are we witnessing a shift in the intensity of this historic confrontation?
There was a time when the tension between India and Australia seemed on the verge of coming to blows. India’s tour of Australia in 2018-19 promised to be the most conflictive, but before that, the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town changed the course.
The subsequent series was marked by banter, but nothing comparable to the hostility we used to see. Later, during the World Cup, India’s captain, Virat Kohli, asked Indian fans to stop booing Steven Smith, who was returning after serving his suspension.
Before the start of the 2020-21 Test series, some wonder if this new respect between the teams will compromise the intensity of the matches.
On the eve of the first Test in Adelaide, Kohli was asked about the reasons for the improvement in relations. His answer summarized the evolution of the rivalry: the players share dressing rooms in the IPL and know each other better. In addition, they are more mature and aware of their place.
After the incident in Cape Town, Australia acknowledged its behavior and strived to find the balance between competitiveness and exemplary conduct. This year, priorities have shifted, and they have realized how unnecessary certain tensions were.
“It’s a combination of all those factors,” Kohli said. “This year has made people realize that many things might not have been necessary in the past, where grudges were held and there were unnecessary tensions between teams and individuals, which is absolutely useless.”
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli: “La apreciación por el rendimiento o la valentía y el carácter de alguien llega al final de los cinco días, eso es lo que creo”.Kohli also acknowledged that Australia has changed “to some extent”. “It could be a culmination of playing together in the IPL, Australia’s change of focus and also the way things have developed this year,” he said. “I feel there is much more respect between the teams. You can see it on the field, and I hope cricket continues to be competitive.”
Kohli emphasized that the quality of cricket should not be compromised. “The exchange of words is always going to exist. It’s the highest level of cricket we play, and it’s going to be very competitive. There will be tension, stress, and emotions on the surface from time to time. I don’t foresee anything becoming personal. I think we are all getting smarter and have a few more years in our careers. So we are going to make better and smarter decisions and make sure that the quality of cricket is maintained.”
Kohli is highly respected in Australia because he responds in the same way. Kohli was asked if the players felt vilified for giving their all within the rules to win the match. “For us, as cricketers, we understand that we do what is required for the team at that moment. To make sure we are moving forward as a team, whether it’s facing some provocation on the field or simply being aggressive in our plans or in our body language as a team.”
“At the highest level, the quality of cricket cannot be compromised. You have to maintain the dignity of the sport, but you also have to understand that you are competing at the highest level with two quality teams facing each other. There will be difficult moments and the teams will face each other, but not in a disrespectful way, that’s what I meant. Definitely, there is much more to Test cricket. The appreciation for someone’s performance or bravery and character comes at the end of the five days, that’s what I believe.”
“On the field, things are going to be competitive, it’s going to be high-voltage cricket because there are quality players on both sides hungry and eager to perform for their teams and make sure they help their team win. It’s definitely going to be as competitive as it has always been for so many years between India and Australia.”
