Australian newspapers take a dig at Virat Kohli for onfield banter with Smith and Renshaw on Day 2

Team India captain Virat Kohli was involved in several on-field banters with the Australian team during the 2nd day of the 2nd Test in Bengaluru and after his verbal volleys with rival captain Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Wu wrote in his article, ‘Kohli talking bigger game than he’s playing – and it’s working’

“Virat Kohli is talking a bigger game than he is playing but the Indian captain is showing he can still inspire his team through words rather than action. His heckling of Smith was relentless. From the moment the Australian captain took guard, he was under siege. Not even the drinks break provided refuge for Smith,” Andrew Wu’s article in Sydney Herald said.

20-year-old opener Matt Renshaw left the field during the last Test due to a stomach bug. Kohli taking a dig at the youngster suggesting him to go for a toilet break once again. The Daily Telegraph titled Kohli’s on-field banters as ‘Kohli gets personal with Smith’. “The gloves came off in Bangalore on Sunday night as Virat Kohli got personal in his battle with long-term rival Steve Smith.”

They further took dig at Kohli and got personal with the Indian captain calling him whingeing loser. “From gracious winner to whingeing loser”, the Daily Telegraph said. John Anderson in his article wrote, “When you appoint a street fighter such as Virat Kohli as captain, you have to accept that diplomacy is sometimes going to suffer when the heat gets turned on.”

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Robert Craddock in his article wrote that Matt Renshaw is killing the Indians softly with his smile. “He’s tough, clear-minded, uncomplicated and plays his cricket with a smile. Right now Australia would be lost without opener Matt Renshaw. Is he really just 20?” DT further took a dig India’s DRS woes.

“India has continued to make a hash of the DRS despite coach Anil Kumble’s pre-second Test assertion that it was not a problem his side needed to work on.” Finally, former Aussie captain criticised India’s close in fielding in his column in the Hindustan Times. He said that although IPL has helped India improve their fielding standards, but in turn, it has adversely affected India’s close in fielding.

“On the evidence of the last couple of years it would appear that the IPL has brought about a rapid improvement in India’s out fielding and an equally quick decline in close-in catching standards,” Chappell wrote.