Virat Kohli Is Just Another Player To Me It Doesn’t Really Bother Me: Tim Paine

The most awaited Border-Gavaskar series in Australia is going to be the biggest Test series of this year. In this upcoming series, while hosts would be looking to take revenge and reclaim the trophy after a humiliating loss at the hands of India in 2018-19, team India, on the other hand, will not leave any stone unturned in snatching a victory from their hands.

Both the teams will face each other in three ODIs, as many T20Is and four Tests matches. The first Test will be played in Adelaide on December 17.

In their last meeting, there was a lot of tension brewing up between the two captains – Tim Paine and Virat Kohli.

Paine recently opened up about the upcoming series and Indian captain Virat Kohli. He stated that Kohli is the player that the Aussies ‘love to hate’ but also respect as a cricketer.

“I get asked a log of questions about Virat Kohli, he’s just another player to me it doesn’t really bother me. There’s not really a relationship there with him to be fair, I see him at the toss and play against him and that’s about it.

“With Virat it is a funny one, we love to hate him but we also love to watch him bat as cricket fans. He certainly is polarising in that type of scenario. We love watching him bat, but we don’t like seeing him score too many runs”, Paine said in a interview.

The Intensity Goes up When The Best Players in The World Come Out to The Crease: Tim Paine

Further commenting about the verbal argument between him and Kohli, he clearly said that ‘having words’ in a heated competition is obvious and it could happen with anyone.

“Australia and India, its a heated competition and he’s obviously a competitive person and so am I, so year there were a few occasions when we had words but that wasn’t because he was the captain and I was the captain, it could have been anyone.

“There is always a bit more tension when a player is as good as he is, it’s the same when you play against England, its Joe Root or a Ben Stokes. It’s often the best player is the one that your team goes up a little bit, the intensity goes up when the best players in the world come out to the crease,” Paine told ABC Sport.

Team India beat Australia 2-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Test series in 2018-19. Team Australia didn’t have two of their key batsmen–David Warner and Steve Smith by their side at that time.

However, this time, both the batsmen will be available for the selection. Inclusion of these batsmen will definitely make the game more interesting and Paine cannot wait for the game to begin.

“I’m looking forward to everything to be honest, it’s a huge series. They beat us here last time obviously with a different team, and as I said the rivalry between the two countries building all the time so, I think any time you get to test yourself against the best is something that you look forward to as players and as a team, and we certainly are,” Paine said.