"It's a very different Virat now, so you can go and have a joke with him" - Usman Khawaja on Kohli's transition over the years
Australia veteran opening batter Usman Khawaja recently pointed out Virat Kohli's change to not instigate on-field battles in recent years, but suggested he was a threat to the hosts in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series. Earlier in his career, the former India skipper had a notorious reputation for his aggression, the most famous renditions of which often came out against Australia.
The ace batter became an instant enemy in the eyes of the Australian crowd after he made a rude gesture (middle finger) during the 2012 Test in Sydney. On his next tour, where he had to lead the team in a few matches, he got into some memorable sledges with David Warner and Mitchell Johnson.
Even in limited-overs affairs, he had some friction with Steve Smith and others. On home soil, Australia brought out that side of him before he mellowed down in recent years.
Although he is still passionate about the game, gone are the days of sledging and ruthless aggression.
"It's a very different Virat now, so you can go and have a joke with him … (but) he still scores runs against you," Usman Khawaja told cricket.com.au.
Virat Kohli has been the center of attention ever since landing in Australia in what may be his final tour of the nation. The ace batter is revered by the media and has amassed a huge chunk of coverage despite being just early days.
"We did not get under his skin, and he didn't try to get under ours" - Alex Carey on Virat Kohli's demeanor during 2023 Border-Gavaskar series
A lot of the tension has been diffused with players rubbing shoulders with each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While the off-field jabs and snides are still prevalent, the traditional sledging is more-or-less eradicated from the scheme of things.
"Playing them in India … there was nothing. (We didn't) get under his skin, and he didn't try to get under ours. He just performed well with the bat," Carey said about Virat Kohli (viacricket.com.au).
"I got to play alongside Virat for a couple of years in the IPL, so I got to know him off the field a bit and I have always enjoyed the battles together. So he's not someone I have riled up or tried to rile up. You just have to try and let the cricket do the talking," Mitchell Starc told cricket.com.au.
The Border-Gavaskar series is scheduled to begin from November 22 onwards. The first Test will take place at the Optus Stadium in Perth.