Has IPL Improved Conduct in India-Australia Rivalry? Virat Kohli Answers


image-lfjb5g5uIndia-Australia rivalry has always enthralled the cricketing community (Twitter)

The highly competitive and often intense cricketing rivalry between India and Australia has long been a topic of interest among fans and experts alike. However, former Indian captain Virat Kohli has expressed his belief that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has had a positive impact on the conduct of players from both countries.

The Indian talisman's remarks came in the context of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where the players from India and Australia engaged in healthy banter on the field, rather than the often nasty exchanges of previous years.

Speaking in a podcast with former South African captain AB de Villiers, Kohli stated that the IPL has played a significant role in changing the way players interact with each other on the field.

The 34-year old reckoned that the IPL has led to a decrease in the use of sledging and other forms of nasty banter between players, and has instead fostered a spirit of mutual respect and admiration. He noted that players from different countries and teams often spend significant amounts of time together during the IPL, leading to a greater understanding and appreciation of each other's abilities and personalities.

“The IPL has changed quite a few things. The cricket is still competitive but the verbals and the sledging is not nasty anymore,” Kohli said in the podcast de Villiers.

The Indian star player also emphasized that the competitiveness between India and Australia on the field has not diminished, but has become more respectful and enjoyable without any nastiness.

“The stuff which was too intense and things that created tension between the teams has significantly gone down, that's what I have experienced this year but not the competitiveness,” added the Indian batter.

According to the Delhi born cricketer, the increase in camaraderie and mutual respect between players is a progressive development, and tensions that may arise in high-stakes tournaments like the World Cup are a natural aspect of the game.

“I think it is a nice thing forward, it is progressive and if the tensions rise in tournaments like World Cups, you see that anyway. It is fun to be competitive and not with nastiness,” concluded Kohli.