India vs Australia: Virat Kohli is frustrated, says Mitchell Johnson
Mumbai: Skipper Virat Kohli has struggled for runs in the ongoing series against Australia. In the four innings against the Team from Down Under this home season, Kohli has had scores of 0, 13, 12 and 15. His poor form, however, hasn’t impacted his captaincy. The captain led his troops aggressively in Bengaluru to level the series 1-1.
It seems like India’s 75-run win in the second Test has not gone down well with former Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson, who was involved in multiple on-field spats with Kohli. Johnson has called Kohli ‘frustrated’.
"He's obviously quite passionate, but I just think he's frustrated because he hasn't scored a run and he's letting his emotions get the better of him. You could sense the vibe change halfway through the match and it coincided with India getting ahead in the game," Johnson wrote in a blog for foxsports.com.au.
"Obviously whenever there's a wicket the cameras go straight to Kohli to see his reaction - they know they're going to get those kind of reactions from him. And they did! He was giving a send-off to just about every player, which you've got to be very careful with. It can happen sometimes, when you're pumped up and you get a bit too fired up."
The former Australian fast bowler also recounted his previous tussle with the Indian captain.
"I had a few run-ins with Virat. To be honest, I think it was every time we played. He hasn't had any time for me since the Boxing Day Test in 2014, when he finished the day saying he had no respect for me. The moment that changed everything was when he blocked a ball back to me and I threw it back at the stumps, seeing Virat was out of his crease and thinking I was a chance of a run out," recalled the Australian.
"The only problem was that Virat was in the way. He got hit in the back and I apologised straight away because it was a complete accident, but that message didn't seem to get through. There were plenty of verbals after that and he hasn't really stopped since," wrote Johnson.
