10 Controversial moments in Virat Kohli's career

9. War of words with Tim Paine

During India’s tour to Australia in the year 2018-19, Kohli had a run-in with another Australian player, Tim Paine. Paine was the Australian skipper at that time, and both Kohli and Paine were at each other’s throats throughout the series.

Paine stated that Kohli had given sendoffs to a few Australian players and he wanted to stand up for his players and show Kohli that the Australian players were in for a fight as well.

“He had given send-offs to a few of our players. I sort of just had enough and thought you also have to stand up for yourself and your teammates and that was one of the reasons I thought, ‘no, I’m the captain, it’s my turn, I have to stand up and show him we’re here for the fight’,” said Paine as quoted in the documentary ‘The Test’.

When Paine came out to bat in the second Test match, Kohli told the Aussie skipper that if Paine messed up with the willow, India would go 2-0 up in the series. “If he messes it up, it’s 2-0. Who’s gonna talk then?”, said Kohli to Paine on the field.

India created history in the land of the kangaroos in that series, beating Australia 2-1 in their own backyard, and won a series against Australia in Australia for the first time in history. Kohli scored 282 runs in the 7 innings that he played in the series, at an average in excess of 40.