India vs Australia: 'Ajinkya Rahane Should Stay Captain,' Says Mitchell Johnson, In Jibe At Virat Kohli

Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson continued to take pot shots at Virat Kohli after India clinched the four-match Test series 2-1 on Tuesday. The win helped the hosts reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2012-13 after the riveting series came to an end in Dharamsala. The left-arm pacer, who will join the Mumbai Indians squad for their ongoing preparatory camp for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), took to Twitter to launch his latest attack.

Rahane should stay captain! It was a tough series but I believe it should stay on the field with the players https://t.co/jtM7V9eIAm

— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) March 28, 2017

Johnson's remarks were in response to Kohli's comments during the press conference post the Dharamsala decider.

It seems Virat Kohli and the Aussies are no longer mates: https://t.co/BuY7TAy2X6 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/51cc7C1BKC

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 28, 2017

Asked after the end of match if he still considered Steve Smith's men as friends, as he had said at the start of the series, Kohli gave a very definite answer.

"No, it has changed for sure. I thought that was the case but it has changed for sure. As I said in the heat of the battle, you want to be competitive but yeah I have been proven wrong. The thing I said before the first Test, I have certainly been proven wrong and you won't hear me say that ever again," Kohli had said.

The India captain, who had to sit out of the fourth and final Test due to a shoulder strain, was a constant target for the Australians during the series, especially after the Bengaluru 'brain fade' controversy.

He was also in the thick of things with former players questioning his attitude and intentions with a section of the Australian media comparing the Delhi-born to United States President Donald Trump.

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive officer James Sutherland also took a dig at him, saying Kohli perhaps did not know the spelling of sorry.

Things did not improve at any time during the series with Kohli's shoulder injury in Ranchi and Murali Vijay's catch off Josh Hazlewoood in Dharamsala, all becoming issues.

Johnson will begin training at the nets under Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond.

The Mumbai franchise picked Johnson for his base price of Rs.2 crore in IPL auction held in February.

(With PTI inputs)