Who can forget the iconic duel between Virat Kohli and Mitchell Johnson during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy? The series, India might have lost 0-2, but it is remembered for Virat Kohli’s heroics with the bat as he got the better of Mitchell Johnson on quite a few occasions. Kohli left a lasting impressive on his debut as the Test captain as he scored centuries in both the innings of the first Test in Adelaide. Former Australia pacer Johnson, who used to terrorise opposition batters with his pace and accuracy, has now recalled his battle with Kohli on the field, hailing the India batter’s attitude during the series.
The 36-year-old then scored two more centuries in this particular series, ending his run with 692 runs in four matches, at a staggering average of 86.50.
Johnson has also credited the maverick batter for changing the mindset of the Indian side.
“One of Kohli’s attributes stood out early to me above all others – he was up for the fight. That kind of aggressive attitude was something we had rarely seen from an Indian player at that point. We were used to giving it but didn’t always get it back in return,” Johnson wrote in a column for The West Australian.
“He took his team with him as well so it’s not an understatement to say that Kohli changed the face of Indian cricket, taking a new generation of players and showing them how to play tough cricket,” he added.
The iconic Johnson-Kohli face off in Melbourne
Johnson and Virat Kohli had quite a few verbal duels in the series. During the 2014 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, the Australian bowler attempted a run-out throw in his bowling stride, however, the ball hit Kohli, leaving the batter angered and irritated. In the match, the 36-year-old eventually went on to play a knock of 169 in the first innings.
“I was legitimately trying to run him out but he didn’t like what I did. He made some comments in the media that night about having no respect for me as a player, which annoyed me,” Johnson said.
“We got him off guard early and had him playing at a ball he didn’t need to in frustration and unfortunately we dropped him on not many. He then focussed and harnessed his energy and piled on the runs – all 169 of them. also remember the cover drives, the pull shots and the urgency of his running between wickets. One of the best players in the world playing me with so much time, I think I even said ‘good shot’ in my head a few times after being driven down the ground,” he added.
The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be Virat Kohli’s fifth tour Down Under. The batter is coming into the series, on the back of a few poor scores in the longest format. The average has also dipped below 50, and the world’s eyes are on whether Kohli can change his fortunes around, starting November 22 in Perth.
“I wonder if the situation will give him all the determination he needs or if it will all be too much for him. As a fan now watching on, maybe I’d like to see him make one more Test ton in Australia. As his adversary from a decade ago, maybe not,” said Johnson.
“Ultimately, I want to see the best against the best and a series played with all the fire and urgency that has come to mark this great rivalry. And I know that’s where Virat will feel right at home,” he added.