Cricket Board Scoffs At Comments Attributed To Virat Kohli, Calls Them "Hearsay"

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken exception to some comments attributed to Virat Kohli during his exchange of words with Australian skipper Tim Paine during the Perth Test. The BCCI has specifically mentioned on one comment and stated that it was based on “hearsay”. “There are reports claiming Indian Captain Virat Kohli got involved in a banter with Australian Captain Tim Paine during 2nd Test at Perth. It's “assumed” Kohli said, “I'm the best player in the world & you're just a stand-in captain”. These claims were based on hearsay,” the ANI news agency quoted BCCI as saying.

Virat Kohli and Paine both made light of the exchanges during the match.

The Indian captain, who described the exchanges as "competitive banter" added that the verbal blows during the second Test were nothing as compared to their Australian tour in 2014, when he claimed to have been called a "spoilt brat".

"Stump mics and cameras... these things are totally irrelevant," he said. "It stays on the field."

Paine also said his sparring with Kohli did not get out of hand, adding that he admired Indian skipper's passion for Test cricket.

"It was a highly competitive Test match from both teams and there was a lot on the line, with both teams desperately wanting to win," Paine said.

"It (Kohli's behaviour) was not (worrying) to me, I love it and I'm sure it was great to watch."

After the ball-tampering scandal, Australia's on-field behaviour was criticised given the team's history of sledging, or insulting opposition players.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Virat Kohli Tim Paine BCCI Cricket Australia vs India 2018/19