Batting superstar Virat Kohli admitted that the aggressive Australian cricketing environment tested his resilience but felt that standing up to it while playing a bold brand of cricket toughened his mind and shaped his career path, besides influencing his growth as an individual.

Kohli first toured Down Under in 2011 and faced a hostile reception from the Australian crowd, but he reckoned that the aggression gradually transformed into respect.

“Growing up, watching cricket as a kid when we used wake up early and watch Test cricket in Australia, you can see the ball flying of the pitch and the opposition in your face, and I used to feel, Wow, if I will able to step up in these conditions and against this opposition that’s something I could be proud of as a cricketer. That’s the motivation for me watching all the greats of our game from either side. Guys like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, even Virender Sehwag, guys, whom I really looked up to,” Kohli told Fox Cricket ahead of the first ODI in Perth on Sunday (October 19, 2025).

“Even the Australian setup, how they played their cricket and how they were in your face all the time, intimidating and taking the game on, that was something that really inspired me to come here and do the same. Early on, I found it was easier to watch on television than be part of that hostile environment, but I am really grateful to all those times because that shaped me as a cricketer and as a person as well.”

“That really tests your mental strength and resilience because once you start copping it from the crowd you can’t escape, you got to come back everyday,” added Kohli, who got out for a naught in his return to India colours after seven months.

Kohli remembered the chats he had with former England skipper Kevin Pietersen with whom he shared dressing room with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, helped him prepare for Australian brand of cricket.

“I didn’t understand it initially to be honest. But guys like Keven Pietersen who copped it before told me something about Australia that you feel like they are at you the whole time but at the back of their minds and hearts they really appreciate that you are standing up and playing that kind of cricket,” Kohli said.

“So, don’t take it personally, don’t take it to heart. You just go out there and play competitive cricket. You will realise how good you are as a cricketer, and you will realise over a long period of time how it really shapes up and makes up mentally as a player. I have nothing but gratitude for those experiences as a player. The crowd being at me really brought out the best from me.”

Kohli said under those trying circumstances, he had little option other than giving his “120%.”

“I had no option but to be 120 per cent. There was no chance I wasn’t gonna perform in this country, in these hostile conditions. So I really had good times here as a cricketer. Off the field, honestly, people have been so relaxed and so respectful. When I haven’t been competing, and you walk on the street and they see you, you can see that genuine smile on their face. So, I really enjoyed my time here.”

Kohli, who has retired from T20 and Test cricket and just plays ODIs now, said Australia has been a happy touring place for him.

“It is always lovely to be back in Australia, a place where I have really enjoyed my cricket. Played some hard fought cricket over so many years, so many battles, eventually what I have realised through the course of the whole journey was if you play your cricket competitively and hard enough and even if you are in the face of the opposition, you gain their respect after a certain point of time. That’s the experience of coming here and playing in this country.”

“I had some good memories at this stadium. In general I love coming to Perth, a really nice place, really relaxed, something that I really enjoy. Beautiful wickets to bat, the pace and bounce which I always enjoy,” he said.

Kohli, who is returning to cricket after five months since playing the IPL 2025, said he is really enjoying his time with his family after retiring from Tests and T20Is.

“It’s been a long time off for me since I retired from Test cricket. I was just catching up on life. I haven’t been able to do anything, I don’t know for how many years, just been able to spend some quality time with kids, with family at home. It’s been a beautiful phase and something that I really enjoyed.”

“To be honest, the amount of cricket I have played over the last 15-20 years, I have actually not rested at all. I have probably played the most number of games in international cricket combining the IPL together. So for me it was a very refreshing time off,” he said.

Kohli said he has prepared well for the ODIs against Australia.

“I am feeling as fit if not fitter than I have ever been before and you can feel the freshness when you can play the game and mentally you know what to do out there. It’s just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of. At this stage I realised if my body is fit and my reflexes are there.”

Published – October 19, 2025 12:19 pm IST

Australia’s Mitch Marsh bats during the one day international cricket match between Australia and India in Perth Australia, on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Senior India batter Rohit Sharma on Saturday (January 4, 2025) firmly dismissed his retirement rumours, saying he is “not going anywhere” and offered poor form as the reason for him “standing down” from the ongoing Sydney Test against Australia.

Grappling with modest form, Rohit “opted to rest” from the Sydney Test, handing over the leadership duties to Jasprit Bumrah, sparking widespread speculations about his future.

“I have not retired. I stood down, that is what I would say. Basically the chat that I had with the coach and the selector was very simple. I am not able to score runs, there is no form, it is an important match and we need a player with form,” Rohit told Star Sports.

“As it is, in our batting, the form of the boys is not that good. So you cannot carry a lot of out of form players in the team. This simple thing was going on in my mind. I am not going anywhere,” he added.

The 37-year-old said the team management and selectors backed his decision.

“I wanted to tell the coach and the selector that this is what is going on in my mind. They backed my decision. They said that you have been playing for so many years. You know what you are doing.

“So for me, it was difficult to take this decision. But if everything is kept in front, then this decision was sensible. I will not think much further,” he added.

In Rohit’s absence, Shubman Gill was included in the India eleven for the crucial fifth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as India is trailing 1-2.

The Mumbaikar endured a tough time in Test cricket in 2024, accumulating just 619 runs in 26 innings across 14 matches averaging 24.76.

Before standing down, he had scored just 31 runs across five innings in three Tests in this series after joining the team following the Perth Test.

Rohit’s bold call triggered speculations that he might pull the plug on his Test career after this series.

“This is not a retirement decision. I am not going to leave the game. There is no such decision. But I am out of this game because the bat is not working.

“But there is no guarantee that the bat will not work after 5 months. There is no guarantee that the bat will not work after two months or six months down the line,” Rohit said.

He hoped for a turnaround in his fortunes sooner than later.

“We have seen a lot in cricket. Every minute, every second, every day life changes. So, I have a belief that things will change.

“But, at the same time, I have to be realistic as well. So, if a person has a mic inside, or a laptop, or a pen, what he writes, what he says, it does not change our life. We have played this game for so many years.

“So, these people cannot decide when we should go or when we should not play. I am a sensible man. I am a mature man. I am the father of two children. So, I have a little brain to decide what I want in life,” he noted.

Asked if he took this decision after the Melbourne Test defeat, Rohit said: “No, I took this decision after coming to Sydney. Because after the match, we had only two days in between. And one day was New Year’s eve. So on New Year’s, I did not want to tell this to the coach and the selector.

“But it was running in my mind that I am trying and trying. But it is not happening. So I have to accept that it is not happening. And it was important for me to step aside.

“Whenever I am captaining, I don’t believe in what is going to happen after 5 months or 6 months. What do you want in the immediate future, it is important to focus on this thing.

“Our entire focus was on these 5 matches. We had to retain the trophy, we had to win. So, when we take such decisions, we do it keeping the team in front of us,” he added.

Rohit also heaped praise on Bumrah saying he has been impressed by the latter’s leadership qualities.

“The way he (Bumrah) sets standards with the ball, he is absolute class. When I saw him for the first time in 2013, his graph has gone really high ever since and has gone from strength to strength,” he said.

Steve Smith of Australia plays a shot during day two of the Men’s Fourth Test Match in the series between Australia and India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 27, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia reached 454 for seven at lunch on day two of the Boxing Day Test against India here on Friday (December 27, 2024).

Resuming the day at 311 for six, Australia pressed on the advantage with contributions from Steve Smith (139 batting), who completed his 34th Test hundred, and skipper Pat Cummins (49 off 63).

The Indian bowling looked flat and conceded 143 runs in the session.

Brief Scores: Australia 454/7 in 113 overs (Steve Smith 139 batting, Marnus Labuschgane 72; Sam Konstas 60; Jasprit Bumrah 3/97, Ravindra Jadeja 2/72).

Smith hits second ton in series

Australia’s Steve Smith slammed his second century of the series against India on Friday (December 27, 2024), reaching three figures on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It was a patient and well-constructed innings from the 35-year-old, who hit nine fours and two sixes in the 167-ball knock to help put the hosts in a strong position.

Smith also scored a ton at the last Test in Brisbane — his first since June 2023 — with the latest his 34th in his 113th match. It moves him alongside four other players on the all-list of century-makers, including Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara. Only six players have scored more, led by Sachin Tendulkar’s 51.

Smith scores a century for Australia, bringing their total to 379 for six.

The score then moves to 400 for six, putting India under pressure on a tough morning. Jadeja picks up the wicket of Cummins, leaving Australia at 411 for seven.

Virat Kohli, wearing a black armband, walks out before the start of play on the second day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia, on Friday (December 27, 2024).
| Photo Credit: AP

The Indian cricket team sported black armbands on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia to honour former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who died in New Delhi.

Mr. Singh, a two time former Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday (December 26, 2024) after losing consciousness at his home owing to age-related ailments. He was 92.

Also read: Politicians, allies pay tributes to Manmohan Singh LIVE

“The Indian team is wearing black arm bands as a mark of respect in the memory of former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, who passed away,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Dr. Singh, also a renowned economist, was the architect and the brainchild of economic reforms in 1991 that pulled India from the brink of bankruptcy and ushered in an era of economic liberalisation that is widely believed to have changed the course of India’s economic trajectory.

Australia resumed day two at 311 for 6 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Devdutt Padikkal doubled up as the extra off-spinner and gave company to Washington and Ravindra Jadeja after R. Ashwin announced his retirement.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Past the statues of Dennis Lillee and Shane Warne frozen in their bowling actions, and fringed by lush foliage, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a pretty sight. There is history in every corner and at one level lower than the main venue, the Indians were busy preparing for their immediate future here on Saturday (December 21, 2024) morning.

Despite a warm sun, the breeze remained cold, the kind that stirs awake old fractures. And in this city of stately churches and the Yarra River, the fourth Test will commence on December 26. While the Australian unit dispersed for a short break, the Indians remained together.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, K.L. Rahul, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, had their turns with the bat at the nets. The tail too got an extended run as Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep squared up to pace, spin and throw-downs.

At one point Rohit asked Washington Sundar, “What are your field placements?” The off-spinner complied and keeping this imaginary preventive ring in mind, Rohit played his shots. A reverse sweep was attempted too while against the pacers, it was largely about blocking or allowing the delivery to go past him. Just then a fan from the upper tier hollered, “Rohit I have come from far to see you.” The skipper requested his follower to stay mum.

Pant, who had a long stint, had an even longer conversation with Gautam Gambhir, and the coach analysed a few shots. Meanwhile, with R. Ashwin having retired, Devdutt Padikkal doubled up as the extra off-spinner and gave company to Washington and Ravindra Jadeja. Much later, Padikkal got his batting stint along with Sarfaraz Khan.

Among the pacers, Jasprit Bumrah was away at the gym while Siraj honed his batting. And bowling coach Morne Morkel too bowled from a short run-up, while Kohli smiled. Another former seamer, Ajit Agarkar, the Indian chief-selector, stretched a bit, held a ball and watched the proceedings.

The Indians sweated for three hours and inside the venue, previous scoreboards were flashed from the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in which the teams are level at 1-1. Nathan McSweeney’s player profile also cropped up on the giant screen, just that he won’t be present at the latest game as Sam Konstas has been picked as the former’s replacement. India will train again on Sunday (December 22, 2024) before opting to rest on Monday (December 23, 2024).

A file image of Indian bowler Nitish Kumar Reddy
| Photo Credit: AFP

Ever since Kapil Dev bowed out of the game after an ODI against the West Indies at Faridabad in 1994, India has been on a perennial search for the fast bowling all-rounder.

Early rival wickets and the insurance cover of runs down the order is a sought after trait in cricket. Kapil offered that and more, including safe hands and the 1983 World Cup!

Practical demands

Four decades since Kapil stepped aside, the quest for his replacement is now constricted by practical demands. The candidate should bowl at a reasonable speed, not necessarily express, and should score a few vital runs, not perhaps an unbeaten 175. Many cricketers were force-fitted into this toned-down requirement.

To be fair, Manoj Prabhakar was a strong contender, and at one time he opened the batting and bowling. Later, it was Ajit Agarkar’s turn. And over the years, Irfan Pathan, Stuart Binny, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur, to name a few, have all been seen through the prism of the Kapil lens.

Even if M.S. Dhoni, earlier, and Rishabh Pant now, give that all-round punch, both as wicket-keeper and marauding batter, the seam-bowling willow-wielder is very much part of the selectors’ shopping list.

This demand for a player, who will lend balance, is again at play Down Under. Nitish Kumar seems to have answered the query for now and bowling coach Morne Morkel’s words at Perth, seem prophetic: “He is one of the young guys who has got that sort of batting all-round ability. He (as a bowler) can hold one end up and he hits the bat a little bit harder than you think. It is a lovely opportunity for him to fill that all-rounder spot. He is a player you can keep your eye on in this series.”

In the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, his maiden foray in Tests, Nitish has scored 163, averaging 54.33, and like Pant, has played shots that defy conventional field settings. The lofted drives straight down the ground or the scoops on either side behind the stumps have been from the top-drawer even if Pat Cummins nailed him on the ramp-shot at the Adelaide Oval where Australia pulled one back and levelled the series 1-1.

Nitish has also offered relief to mainstream speedsters by being the fourth seamer. He has the added bonus of two wickets. The 21-year-old is not a finished product and he will be a subject of intense scrutiny in rival camps with data being scoured and technical chinks analysed threadbare. These early days are often a surprise, and to replicate success when the opposition ranks have firmed up their plans will not be easy.

As the Indians landed in rain-swept Brisbane on Wednesday (December 11, 2024), Nitish, just like Washington Sundar, the spin all-rounder, are all part of the youth brigade, expected to flower. If Nitish gets his opportunities in the remaining three fixtures, starting with the third Test at the Gabba here from Saturday (December 14, 2024), and does well, it will surely leave Rohit Sharma’s men in a happy space.

A file image of Australian opener Nathan McSweeney
| Photo Credit: AP

Stepping into David Warner’s shoes can be a daunting task and Nathan McSweeney is dealing with that onerous challenge in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Warner’s buddy Usman Khawaja is his partner and matters get even more delicate as the former opener is now keeping a close eye as a commentator.

Familiar territory

McSweeney, though, has Gabba, his home ground to lean on. Back in a familiar environment here on Wednesday (December 11, 2024), the opener respectfully dealt with Warner’s shadow: “David was an unbelievable player with massive shoes to fill when he left. If I can be half the player he was, I am going alright.” And then he added: “A Gabba ground I know really well, so hopefully I can spend some time out there and put Australia in a good position.”

Drawing strength from the 67-run second-wicket partnership that he shared with Marnus Labuschagne during the second Test’s first innings at the Adelaide Oval, McSweeney said: “Marnus made an unbelievable 64 in the context of the game. For us to come out and get through a tricky period was massive. Hopefully I can spend some more time out there with him. I got two good balls in Perth. I had some confidence to go to Adelaide and really trusted my game.”

With a morning drizzle serenading Brisbane, the weather may get sticky but local boy McSweeney felt it was a false alarm: “Obviously a bit of a weather in the last few days, but it’s a long way from the game (third Test). At the Gabba, it has great bounce, can seam around, and if there are overheads (clouds) it can swing around a bit. As a batter you prepare for all scenarios. It’s definitely a new-ball wicket and if you can get past that, it’s a lovely ground to bat at.”

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal gestures as he leaves the field after losing his wicket on the third day of the first cricket test between Australia and India in Perth, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024
| Photo Credit: AP

Yashasvi Jaiswal speaks like the way he bats. There is an eagerness to respond quickly and move ahead. Often he nods his head while waiting for a question to conclude and then he replies in a direct manner. The centurion met the media at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday (November 24, 2024) evening and there was an air of quiet confidence about him.

The opener’s 161 set India on a strong platform in the first Test and Jaiswal was happy with his effort: “For me, all the centuries are amazing, but this will be special because I really wanted to do it. I always wanted to come to Australia and do well here. We all knew that the ball will bounce here and I prepared for it.”

Jaiswal was thrilled about batting in tandem with Virat Kohli and said: “Today, I was playing and running with him. It was a very special moment. I try to develop my own game by talking to senior players and by understanding how I can add certain things to my game. I still have a lot to learn.”

He was clear about his mindset too: “I am going to go and enjoy and be fearless. I will go and take a brave decision. I will try and do what is required for my team. It is amazing to play against such great bowlers.”

Asked about the six that got him his hundred, Jaiswal said: “I knew he (Josh Hazlewood) was going to bowl a bouncer and I was ready for that ball. Luckily, he did and I played that shot and I enjoyed it.”