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Mitchell Johnson reflects on his fiery encounters with Virat Kohli during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, praising Kohli’s aggression.
Kohli’s Aggression Redefined Rivalries
Mitchell Johnson recently revisited his decade-old rivalry with Virat Kohli from the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kohli’s fearless attitude and fiery exchanges during that series left an indelible mark on cricket fans.
Johnson, who was then at his peak, described Kohli’s aggression as something rarely seen in Indian batters.
“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.
Kohli’s 169 at Melbourne Cricket Ground epitomised his determination and ability to lead by example.
“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.
Kohli’s demeanour challenged the Australian pacers, earning him respect as a competitor.
Their battle symbolised the evolution of Indian cricket into a more combative and fearless era.
Melbourne Showdown: A Turning Point
Johnson and Kohli’s heated exchanges during the Melbourne Test remain iconic.
Johnson, in an attempt to run Kohli out, hit him with the ball on the follow-through.
Kohli responded sharply in a press conference, stating he had “no respect” for Johnson.
“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.
Despite the altercation, Johnson admitted being impressed by Kohli’s strokeplay.
“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.
“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 the Australian bowler with 313 Test wickets.
“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,” the southpaw added.
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