Virat Kohli’s 2014-15 Australia tour became a turning point in his Test career. The Indian star not only piled on runs but also stamped his authority as the next leader of Indian cricket. Stepping in after MS Dhoni missed the first Test and later retired following the Boxing Day clash, Kohli showcased his fearless batting and combative attitude.
When Kohli Shut Down Rookie Burns
Former Australia batter and current Italy skipper Joe Burns recalled his debut at the MCG during that series. Burns, who recently led Italy to T20 World Cup qualification, narrated how Virat Kohli dismissed his attempt to engage in banter.
“In my first game, first Test match at the MCG on Boxing Day, I was 24. And first game, I was fielding at bat-pad (close to the batter). And I’m fairly certain, Virat scored 100 that day. But there was a little bit of chirp going on. Not sledging, just obviously we got Hadzi (Brad Haddin) behind the stumps, and Watto (Shane Watson) was at first slip. Nathan Lyon was bowling, so I’m in close. I think it’d been four hours. I hadn’t said a word. I think I said one line. I think I said to him, ‘Virat, you got to play some shots,’” Burns told CricTracker.
Burns revealed what followed next embarrassed him completely.
“He stopped the bowler, stopped Nathan Lyon, turned to me and said, ‘You don’t talk, rookie’. Next ball he faced up, smacked it through covers. It was very embarrassing for me. I didn’t say a word the next four days after that, but it showed me that Virat was not someone to mess with. And I think as a 24-year-old débutant at bat-pad, it wasn’t really the person or in the place to be saying anything to Virat at that point.”
Kohli’s Impact Beyond the Series
Kohli scored 692 runs in eight innings during that tour, smashing four centuries. His dominance defined India’s approach for years. Burns admitted that Virat Kohli’s personality shaped India’s identity in world cricket.
“Virat Kohli doesn’t take a backward step. As I said before, he really shaped that team’s identity. I think even now that he’s not in the team, you can see that the way that India play, it’s really shaped on, the foundations that Virat put in place over a number of years. He’s always a really fierce competitor. I tried not to look at him on the field,” said Burns.
“I didn’t want to engage with him because I knew that that really spurred him on. And I guess you factor in the fact that he’s a world-class batter, one of the greatest of all time. It’s a great combination. And like I said, it really set the identity for the Indian cricket team.”
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