Border-Gavaskar Trophy: No longer lead acts, but Virat Kohli and Steve Smith remain central characters for India, Australia

With the burning sun above their head, Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma posed beside the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the customary pre-series photo shoot. The captains exchanged a hug, handshake and chuckle before they hurriedly escaped the harsh sun. It was exactly how the previous meeting between the two sides in the subcontinent took off, with a warm camaraderie, though the men beside the shimmering trophy were Steve Smith and Virat Kohli. And how the feisty and fascinating series ended, with heat and fire, accusations and recriminations, with Kohli quipping that “he would never be friends with Australians.”
The best would come out of that. His former coach Ravi Shastri believes his record against Australia would “spur him on”. “He would be charged up and want to start well. He would be a thorn in the flesh for Aussies,” he recently said.

This news was written by Ms Annapoorani Research Assistant at All India Legal Forum.