India tour of Australia 2011/12

Kohli lashes out at 'disrespectful' Aussies

Young Indian batsman Virat Kohli, who became India's lone centurion in the ongoing four match Test series against Australia by smashing a 116-run on day three of the Adelaide Test, has slammed Australian players for constantly involving in sledging.

Young Indian batsman Virat Kohli, who became India's lone centurion in the ongoing four match Test series against Australia by smashing a 116-run on day three of the Adelaide Test, has slammed Australian players for constantly involving in sledging.

"They (players) sledge when they get frustrated. Obviously it was hot out there. Constantly they were sledging the players so that they could spoil their concentration. During that partnership (between him and Wriddhiman Saha) they were really, really having a go," Virat Kohli said.

Kohli revealed that Australian pacer Ben Hilfenhaus had used some unparliamentary words for him when he survived a run out on 99.

"Hilfenhaus said something to me which was quite unnecessary. It was out of the blue. He wasn't even bowling. I had just survived a run-out on 99. He said something to me which I can't say in press conference. I gave it back to him, (I said) you didn't have to do anything why would you do it," he said.

Kohli, who is India's leading-run scorer in the series, has backed his own aggressiveness in the middle.

"Ishant and I both came together and started saying, got stuck to them and he got really pissed (off). I usually play my cricket like that and I like to give it back. At the end of the day I was pretty happy with what I did," he said.

"He (Ponting) told me not to give it back or I would get in trouble. He was pretty much a help with that," he added.

David Warner and Ed Cowan had some words of exchange with Kohli at Perth, but both these Aussies openers have congratulated the talented Indian batsman on reaching his maiden Test ton.

"He actually congratulated me. Both of them actually. Both of them didn't say anything. It was pretty low key till that incident happened. In Sydney, they were after me because I wasn't scoring and here because I got a hundred. Not much has changed except that the reasons have changed," he said.

Kohli was fined 50 percent of his match fees for showing middle finger to the Sydney crowd after the second Test.

"You have to give back verbally and then score a hundred, that's even better. We don't go out to take any kind of stuff from anyone. We are international cricketers as well. We have not come here to just participate. They should know that, and we need to let them know that, by talking and by performing,"

"It's really frustrating at times. They say things which they shouldn't be saying on a cricket field. We go there to play and not to get abuse like that. If they come to enjoy the game of cricket, they should do it, not get drunk and abuse players. It's not fair on the players. If a player says anything they are fined and banned and crowd could say anything and go home. It should be played in a fair way," said Kohli.