Shane Warne wants Virat Kohli to re-think his burned bridges

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• March 29th 2017
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Shane Warne has provided an appraisal of Virat Kohli.

SHANE Warne says he will be disappointed in Virat Kohli if the Indian skipper doesn’t change his stance on his friendships with Australian players following India’s 2-1 series victory.

Kohli on Thursday clarified his declaration that he no longer considered some Australian players to be his friend after a spiteful and enthralling four-Test series on the sub-continent.

Kohli did confirm there are players in the Australian team he no longer considers friends, but said he remains mates with some of the Aussie players.

Warne said he would be disappointed if Kohli did not relax his position against Australian players.

The spin king said in his own experience it is part of cricket that heated rivals should come together in mutual respect at the end of a series.

The Indian team knocked back an olive branch from Steve Smith at the end of the fourth Test for the two teams to get together and share a drink.

“Virat is a very likeable guy and I love the fact he plays with so much passion,” Warne told Sportsmate.

“But I am sure he’s thinking now there are a few good Aussies out there that I’m friends with — and I’d be disappointed if that wasn’t the case.

Virat was there when it mattered.Source:AP

“There have been moments in my career and I’ve probably pushed the boundary as well, but I think afterwards we more or less had a laugh about it.”

He said he believes Kohli will come to realise his dislike of some Australian players doesn’t actually continue off the field.

“I think it was a heat of the moment comment,” Warne said.

“It was a heated series. There was a lot of stuff said and both captains were into each other, but I think overall the series was played in a good hard fighting test match spirit.”

Kohli’s remarks after the fourth Test were labelled “classless” after Smith had already apologised for his own borderline behaviour throughout the heated series.

The Indian skipper on Thursday moved to put the issue to bed, saying he remains friends with some Australian cricketers ahead of the IPL, where he will play alongside Australians Shane Watson and Travis Head.

“My answer at the post match conference has been blown way out of proportion,” Kohli posted on his official Twitter account.

“I did not categorically say the whole Australian team but only a couple of individuals.

“I continue to be in good terms with the few guys I know & who I’ve played with at RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) & that doesn’t change.”

“More or less” Shane Warne’s personal battles stayed on the field.Source:News Corp Australia

The hotly-anticipated Test series was overshadowed by bitter exchanges, most notably when Kohli all but accused his counterpart Steve Smith of cheating after the Australian skipper looked to his dressing room while deciding whether to review an lbw dismissal in the second Test.

Smith sidestepped the spat Thursday as he concentrated on his upcoming captaincy of IPL side Rising Pune Supergiant.

“Look, the series is done and dusted, it’s time to move on,” Smith told reporters.

“I spoke after the game that India outplayed us and won the series 2-1.”

Smith’s IPL teammate Ajinkya Rahane, who stood in as captain for the injured Kohli in the deciding Test this week, also called for the hatchet to be buried.

“What happens on the ground stays on it. Our focus is on IPL,” said Rahane. As the bitter series wrapped up, Smith revealed that an invitation extended to India for reconciliation drinks was rebuffed, but Rahane said there was no issue.

“We had our own get-together in our own dressing room so I was actually busy there. We were enjoying each other’s company after a well-fought series,” he said.

— with AFP