Virat Kohli turned into Captain Grumpy. David Warner turned to antagonism. Bowlers boiled over. Umpires tried in vain to keep peace.

And cricket, for better or worse, returned to normal as ill-temper pockmarked day four of the first Test in Adelaide.

Australia and India, renowned for their on-field hostilities, had previously played out three tame days.

But the mood darkened on day four as headstrong duo Kohli and Warner clashed.

The initial flashpoint came when Warner was bowled by a Verun Aaron no-ball and the bowler celebrated by screaming “come on.”

Warner, on 66 at the time, was trudging toward the changerooms when a check of the video replay revealed Aaron had overstepped.

The Indian quick vented his frustration. Warner responded by repeatedly telling Aaron to “come on” as they crossed paths.

Other players, most notably Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Shane Watson, all joined the heated spat, which umpire Ian Gould tried to cool.

Kohli’s agitated state worsened when Warner received another let off – on 89, he was dropped by Murali Vijay.

The Australian opener proceeded to make a century and Kohli’s frustration proceeded to mount.

The stand-in skipper snapped again when his spinner Rohit Sharma had an ambitious lbw appeal against Steve Smith refused.

Smith made obvious his thoughts of the optimistic appeal, almost laughing, prompting Sharma to yell “what?” at the batsman.

Kohli, fielding at slip, wasted no time in slipping into the fray again and confronted Smith.

They exchanged terse words before Warner, who had charged down the pitch to get involved, walked at the Indian leader.

Umpires again intervened, with scant success.

“The two umpires have lost control here,” said former Australian spinner Brad Hogg, commentating on ABC radio.