"With Virat Kohli, the fight was always going on"- Ravi Shastri's revelation sends shockwaves

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has reignited memories of the epic and fiery face-off between Virat Kohli and Mitchell Johnson in Melbourne during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Shastri revealed how Virat Kohli’s fearless attitude and unshakable confidence stood out during the series.

One of the fiercest and most memorable battles unfolded during the Melbourne Test, where Mitchell Johnson, who was known for his aggression and fiery bouncers, tried to pull off a surprise run-out in the middle of his bowling stride. But his trick backfired badly in Australia.

Ravi Shastri recalls Virat Kohli’s ferocious fightback against Mitchell Johnson in 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The throw struck Kohli directly, and the moment turned the game on its head. Instead of backing down, the dashing right-hander rose like a storm. Kohli was visibly fired up and channeled his anger into brilliance and hammered a stunning 169 in the first innings.

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That innings didn’t just frustrate the Kangaroos, but it has also changed the outcome of the match and helped India to pull off a crucial draw in Melbourne. However, Australia had won that 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-0 margin against India.

Well, Shastri, who watched the verbal exchange between Virat Kohli and Mitchell Johnson from close quarters, believes that was the moment the former Indian captain truly announced himself as a leader in the making. The aggressive back-and-forth with Johnson has only fueled him.

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Virat Kohli kept needling Mitchell Johnson during the lunch break: Ravi Shastri

The former Indian coach also revealed how Kohli kept taunting the former Australian pacer even during the lunch break, locking eyes with him in a tense stare-down. Shastri said that Kohli’s fierce attitude had sent a clear message to Australians that he wasn’t backing down.

Ravi Shastri wrote in a column for Sportstar, “I can never forget his verbal exchange with Mitchell Johnson. He kept needling the Aussie during the lunch break. Both stared at each other, but I could see that Virat’s ferocity gave the Australian a strong message. A fight was on. It surely was. Virat hammered a sensational 169.”

The former Indian captain and all-rounder also recalled Kohli’s 123-run knock in the Perth Test of the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, India had lost that match by 146 runs to Australia, but it left a great impact on Shastri as it came on a fast, bouncy pitch, where most batters struggled.

Ravi Shastri puts Virat Kohli's Perth Test ton above Sachin Tendulkar's classic century

Shastri mentioned that one of the all-time greatest batters, Sachin Tendulkar, also got a century in Perth in 1992, but Kohli’s tone was much more epic since the conditions were very different. He also praised Kohli for attacking the Australian bowlers fearlessly in Perth, where he smashed 13 boundaries and one six during his sensational innings.

However, Virat could manage only 17 runs in the second innings. Notably, India had pulled off a historic Test series win on Australian soil on their tour, winning the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy—a four-match Test series with a 2-1 margin under Kohli’s fearless captaincy.

Shastri signed off by saying, “It was a fast track with the ball flying around, but he tore into the bowlers even as most other batsmen looked ordinary on that pitch. Tendulkar also hit a century in Perth in 1992, but then the conditions were so different.”

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