NEW DELHI: Star India batter Virat Kohli is known to give his counterparts a run for their money, and former Australia batter Joe Burns recalled an incident where his attempt to sledge the Indian great backfired during the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Burns, who now captains the Italian cricket team, had made his debut against India in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Burns recalled how he tried to provoke Kohli into playing rash shots in an attempt to break his rhythm.
"In my first game, first Test match at the MCG on Boxing Day, I was 24. I was fielding at bat-pad (close to the batter). Virat scored a hundred that day. There was a bit of chirp going on, not sledging, just the usual with Hadzi (Brad Haddin) behind the stumps and Watto (Shane Watson) at first slip. Nathan Lyon was bowling and I was in close. After four hours of silence, I finally said one line to him: 'Virat, you've got to play some shots,'" Burns told Crictracker.
Burns admitted that he realised his mistake and chose not to utter a word for the next four days.
"He stopped Nathan Lyon mid-run, turned to me and said, 'You don't talk, rookie.' The very next ball, he smacked it through covers. It was very embarrassing for me. I didn't say a word for the next four days, but it showed me Virat was not someone to mess with. As a 24-year-old debutant at bat-pad, I realised I picked the wrong player and the wrong time to speak," he added.
The 2014-15 tour turned out to be a landmark series for Kohli, as he piled up 692 runs in eight innings with four centuries. It also cemented his leadership credentials, with him stepping in for MS Dhoni - who missed the opening Test and later announced his retirement.
"Virat Kohli doesn't take a backward step. He really shaped that team's identity. Even now, when he's not in the team, you can see India still play in the mould of what he built over the years. He was always a fierce competitor. Personally, I tried not to look at him on the field because I knew that spurred him on," Burns further added.
