Debasis Sen, Perth: Australia captain Tim Paine has declared he will not allow India counterpart Virat Kohli to “walk all over” his side, despite the microscope on the side’s conduct, after the hosts levelled the series with an emphatic win in the second Test.
While both teams are on the same wavelength as to the terms of engagement for any verbal warfare, tension is building as the fight for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy intensified heading into what looms as a blockbuster Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
The two captains shared a far from warm handshake after the game, with Paine later confirming the teams would wait until after the series in Sydney to mix in the rooms.
After months of retrospection over Australia’s cricket identity, Paine’s men turned up the aggression as they claimed their first win in seven Tests.
Kohli claimed pre-series he no longer needed to engage in an argument to get into the contest but his on-field conduct in Perth suggested otherwise.
The Australians were not anticipating Kohli would keep his word but were bemused by what they saw as a double standard being applied to the superstar batsmen.
Paine had decided enough is enough by standing up to Kohli’s argy-bargy, be it while behind the stumps or at the crease.
Australian coach Justin Langer told SEN this morning that he had no problems with what his players had said during conversations with the Indians which were picked up on the microphones, saying Tim Paine and Marcus Harris had displayed “old fashioned Aussie humour”.
Langer said banter was important.
Late on the third day Harris, who was fielding at short leg, was heard saying to Indian batsman Rishabh Pant “If you get out you can go out and disco tonight. Good circuit on a Monday night in Perth”.