Aussies no longer friends: Kohli

AFP, DHARAMSALA: Indian skipper Virat Kohli said he no longer considered Australian cricketers as friends after winning a tense Test series marked by bad blood in Dharamsala on Tuesday.
Kohli, who remarked before the series that he was “really good friends” with some Australian players, said things had changed during the bitter contest between the world’s top two sides.
“I thought that was the case but it has changed for sure. As I said in the heat of the battle, you want to be competitive but yeah I have been proven wrong,” he said in a post-match press conference. “The thing I said before the first Test (about being friends), I have certainly been proven wrong, and you won’t hear me say that ever again.”
The 28-year-old skipper caused a furore in the second Test after accusing his counterpart Steven Smith of repeatedly abusing the decision review system. Critics questioned Kohli’s conduct under pressure, and also his form in the series, with the right-hander scoring just 46 runs from five innings.
Tensions were exacerbated after the Indian captain was dubbed “the Donald Trump of sport” in an Australian newspaper, and former Test bowler Geoff Lawson accused him of acting like “your worst behaved player”. A combative Kohli hit back at his critics, inviting his detractors to say or write what they feel about him.
“A very wise person told me that when a person is down, the weak come out to speak about him. It takes courage to talk about someone when they are on top,” he said.  “It is fine, I was targeted individually, and I haven’t done well in this series so opportunities galore for everyone to come out and speak about me which is fine. 
“...(it is) very easy to sit at home and write a blog or speak behind a mic, I think that’s easier than coming out and competing in the field.” The rancour between the sides was inflamed in the drawn third Test in Ranchi when Glenn Maxwell was pictured mocking Kohli’s shoulder injury.

Aussies no longer friends: Kohli

AFP, DHARAMSALA: Indian skipper Virat Kohli said he no longer considered Australian cricketers as friends after winning a tense Test series marked by bad blood in Dharamsala on Tuesday. Kohli, who remarked before the series that he was really good friends with some Australian players, said things had changed during the bitter contest between the worlds top two sides. I thought that was the case but it has changed for sure. As I said in the heat of the battle, you want to be competitive but yeah I have been proven wrong, he said in a post-match press conference. The thing I said before the first Test (about being friends), I have certainly been proven wrong, and you wont hear me say that ever again. The 28-year-old skipper caused a furore in the second Test after accusing his counterpart Steven Smith of repeatedly abusing the decision review system. Critics questioned Kohlis conduct under pressure, and also his form in the series, with the right-hander scoring just 46 runs from five innings. Tensions were exacerbated after the Indian captain was dubbed the Donald Trump of sport in an Australian newspaper, and former Test bowler Geoff Lawson accused him of acting like your worst behaved player. A combative Kohli hit back at his critics, inviting his detractors to say or write what they feel about him. A very wise person told me that when a person is down, the weak come out to speak about him. It takes courage to talk about someone when they are on top, he said. It is fine, I was targeted individually, and I havent done well in this series so opportunities galore for everyone to come out and speak about me which is fine. ...(it is) very easy to sit at home and write a blog or speak behind a mic, I think thats easier than coming out and competing in the field. The rancour between the sides was inflamed in the drawn third Test in Ranchi when Glenn Maxwell was pictured mocking Kohlis shoulder injury.