On Thursday, December 17, India would tour Australia for a Test series. The two countries met in 2018 when India defeated Australia 2-1.
The two countries have had a history of very heated fixtures, some almost resulting in full-blown fights. However, in recent times, we have seen a bit of an improvement in the relationship between the two countries as regards cricket matches. That has not stopped Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, from stating that the match would be quite competitive because of the quality of players on both sides.
Kohli, who would only play in the first test before leaving to welcome his first child, believes that no matter what happens on the pitch, it would strictly be focused on the match and would not be personal or as heated as we have seen in the past.
He said, “It is definitely going to be as competitive as it has always been. It’s going to be high-voltage cricket because we have quality players on both sides and they are all hungry and eager to perform. There’s going to be tension, there’s going to be stress, there’s going to be emotions flaring every now and then, but I don’t foresee anything getting personal anymore.”
Last year, during the World Cup, fans of the Indian side were booing Steven Smith, who was appearing in his first match after being suspended for ball-tampering. It was Kohli who asked that the booing stopped.
Speaking on what may have caused the change in attitude between the two teams, Kohli described it as a “combination of factors,” stating that this year may have made everyone realise that the grudges they held were pointless and also because they were being more professional about things. The fact that both sides also met in the Indian Premier League has also smoothed out the relationship as some Australian players were on the same IPL team as Indian players.
Australia had earlier admitted that their behaviour on the pitch had not been exactly the best and they were trying to improve on that. Kohli stated that they had tried to an extent. The upcoming Test series would let us see just how well both sides have managed to mend their relationships.
Written by: Leon Osamor
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