Virat Kohli and Tim Paine were involved in a war of words for most the third day’s play in the Perth Test.
India captain Kohli earlier scored a sublime century to lead the visitors’ response in the first innings as they managed 283 in reply to the hosts’ first innings score of 326. However emotions ran high when Kohli was ruled out caught at slip by Peter Handscomb off the bowling of Pat Cummins with the third umpire going with the on-field umpire’s soft signal of out even as TV replays showed there was enough doubt for the decision to go either way.
Then when India bowled, the visiting fast bowlers peppered the Australian batsmen which quick, short bowling and hit Marcus Harris on the helmet, Usman Khawaja on the abdomen and injured Aaron Finch’s finger. When Paine came in to bat towards end of the day’s play, Kohli – who had been ‘talking’ to Australian batsmen almost the entire innings – turned it up a notch.
After India unsuccessfully appealed for a caught behind off Paine, Kohli walked up to Paine and said: “If you mess it up here, it’s 2-0 here. And who’s going to talk then?”
The Australian keeper promptly replied: “You’ve got to bat first big head.”
Australia are 175 runs ahead with six wicket in hand, with a clear advantage in the second Test.
