We Love To Hate Virat Kohli: Tim Paine Ahead of Blockbuster Clash With India
Published - 13 Nov 2020, 11:41 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:36 AM
Sledging, banter, thrill and world class cricket have been an indispensable part of India-Australia rivalry for years now. With a lot on stake whenever both these giants meet, the players from either sides give it their all on the field in order to come out on top.
The upcoming Border-Gavaskar series in Australia promises to be another thrilling series. After losing the last two series including one at home for the very first time, the Tim Paine-led side will be desperate to regain the trophy this time. India had humiliated them at their home last time around.
With the likes of David Warner and Steve Smith back in the team, Australia will be desperate to avenge the loss. And ahead of the showdown, Australia captain Tim Paine has opened up about his rapport with his India counterpart Virat Kohli and the series.
The last time these two sides met, there was a lot of tension brewing up between Tim Paine and Virat Kohli. The duo had a go at each other at every given opportunity as they were involved in heated altercations on several occasions. The Australia skipper stated that the Aussies love to hate the India skipper but also love to watch his batting.
“I get asked a log of questions about Virat Kohli, he’s just another player to me it doesn’t really bother me. There’s not really a relationship there with him to be fair, I see him at the toss and play against him and that’s about it,” Tim Paine told ABC Sport.
“With Virat it is a funny one, we love to hate him but we also love to watch him bat as cricket fans. He certainly is polarising in that type of scenario. We love watching him bat, but we don’t like seeing him score too many runs.
“Australia and India, its a heated competition and he’s obviously a competitive person and so am I, so year there were a few occasions when we had words but that wasn’t because he was the captain and I was the captain, it could have been anyone.
“There is always a bit more tension when a player is as good as he is, it’s the same when you play against England, its Joe Root or a Ben Stokes. It’s often the best player is the one that your team goes up a little bit, the intensity goes up when the best players in the world come out to the crease,” added Tim Paine.
Unfortunately, Virat Kohli won’t play the entire series this time around. He would leave for India after the first Test to be at the birth of his first child.
