David Warner prides himself on colourful quips and top-notch niggle.
But even he was taken aback by Virat Kohli’s conduct on a heated fourth day of the Boxing Day Test.
Australia boasted a 326-run lead over India at stumps on Monday, reaching 7-261 in their second innings after Shaun Marsh’s steadying 62 not out at the MCG.
The tourists, needing victory in the third Test to keep their hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy alive, continued an epic fightback.
Not for the first time in the four-Test series, a compelling day of cricket was overshadowed by a handful of unsavoury incidents.
Kohli, who taunted Mitchell Johnson during his masterful 169 on day three, was at the fore.
The 26-year-old was part of the Indian contingent that gave Johnson a vocal send-off in a heated final session.
Kohli also offered Brad Haddin some unsolicited advice.
With Australia 5-176 and the game in the balance when Haddin joined the fray, Kohli made a beeline for the 37-year-old.
As Haddin asked for and marked centre, a chirpy Kohli shadowed the batsman in a fashion more commonly associated with AFL taggers at the venue.
“I didn’t see the send-off to Mitchell but I saw Kohli lurking around there with Brad,” Warner said.
“If that’s the way he wants to go about the game then let him be.
“We do play cricket in an aggressive style, but we’re not going to be in your face like that at all.
“I won’t say he overstepped the line, it’s up to the umpires to manage that.”
Offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t want to be drawn on the issues.
“I’m not someone who yaps away on the ground, so I’m not too keen on what’s happening in terms of who gives a send-off to who,” Ashwin said.
“But it’s been that kind of series – everybody has played it hard.”
A total of four misconduct fines were dished out in the opening two Tests.
There’s likely to be more.
Warner and Ashwin insisted relations between the teams were ok, but it came a day after Kohli declared he had no reason to respect some Australian cricketers.
“He got 160-odd, he’s allowed to say what he wants,” Warner said.
“I personally think what happens on the field stays on the field.”
India worked hard but will most likely need to set a new record, with 7-332 in 1928 being the highest successful run-chase in an MCG Test.
Ashwin was again India’s best bowler, dismissing openers Warner and Chris Rogers.
Rogers top-scored with 69, but the veteran was almost out edging on 33 and 56.
Shikhar Dhawan dropped a catch at second slip in the first over after lunch, while India captain MS Dhoni later claimed a sharp leg-side catch when the hosts were 3-139.
The third umpire decided the ball scraped the turf before getting scooped up in Dhoni’s gloves.
Warner swapped barbs with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma, racing to 37 off 25 balls after eight overs before Ashwin started to curtail Australia’s momentum.
