Legendary Indian batsman Virat Kohli’s rivalry against Australia has long been characterized by his intense competitive streak; the former Indian captain has consistently performed well under pressure and in foreign conditions in Australia. Kohli has always welcomed conflict as fuel for his batting, whether it was his recent verbal altercation with Travis Head during an IPL match or his iconic duels during Test series in Australia.
However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri claims that he had to intervene once during the 2014–15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy to prevent Kohli from going too far during a fierce matchup with Mitchell Johnson.
Shastri On Virat Kohli’s Feud With Mitchell Johnson
Participating in a podcast with Kohli for the batter’s lifestyle brand One8, Shastri recalled the intense exchange from one of the matches of that renowned tour, the Melbourne Test.
“Never… no once, once. I’ll tell you about it. This was Melbourne, right. And he and Mitch were constantly having a go, because first ball he played he hit him on the head,” said Shastri, recalling the incident as Kohli laughed.
The incident happened after Johnson had hit Kohli on the helmet early in the innings, escalating their already intense rivalry.
“And he’s off to a start at lunchtime. Both going up… as he enters the dressing room, he’s looking at Mitch like this. I had to catch him like this, come here, come here, focus on your batting. I think of those days and sometimes your hair stands,” Shastri added.
In the end, that Border-Gavaskar series turned out to be one of Kohli’s most iconic and important Test tours. Even though Australia prevailed in the series, Kohli’s rise to prominence as one of the world’s most formidable batters and India’s future long-term leader was highlighted by the tour.
Throughout the series, the right-hander was unstoppable, amassing 692 runs at an incredible average of 86.50 in four Test matches. He established himself as a batting force in Australian conditions by smashing four hundreds in eight innings, including a top score of 169.
The trip also set the stage for Kohli’s legendary but intense connection with Australian cricket, where the crowd’s animosity, pressure, and anger frequently brought out the best in him.
