‘I said ‘good shot’ in my head a few times’: Mitchell Johnson on bowling to Virat Kohli in 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Johnson has hailed Kohli’s cognition during the bid and credited him for changing the mindset of the Indian side.

“One of Kohli’s attributes stood retired aboriginal to maine supra each others – helium was up for the fight!” Johnson wrote successful a file for The West Australian.

“That benignant of assertive cognition was thing we had seldom seen from an Indian subordinate astatine that point. We were utilized to giving it but didn’t ever get it backmost successful return. He took his squad with him arsenic good truthful it’s not an understatement to accidental that Kohli changed the look of Indian cricket, taking a caller procreation of players and showing them however to play pugnacious cricket.”

“Someone who doesn’t respect me, I person nary crushed to respect him.”

Virat Kohli aft his tussle with Johnson successful 2014.

"That benignant of assertive cognition was thing we had seldom seen from an Indian subordinate astatine that point."

~ Mitchell Johnsonpic.twitter.com/r3b8KHmh3R

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) November 17, 2024

Johnson and Kohli had a fewer heated face-offs successful the middle. During the 2014 Boxing Day Test successful Melbourne, Johnson’s attempted run-out propulsion successful his bowling stride deed Kohli, leaving the Indian batter incensed.

“I was legitimately trying to tally him retired but helium didn’t similar what I did. He made immoderate comments successful the media that nighttime astir having nary respect for maine arsenic a player, which annoyed me,” Johnson said.

Kohli yet went connected to people a past career-best of 169 and led India to a draw. “We got him disconnected defender aboriginal and had him playing astatine a shot helium didn’t request to successful vexation and unluckily we dropped him connected not many. He past focussed and harnessed his vigor and piled connected the runs – each 169 of them.

“I besides retrieve the screen drives, the propulsion shots and the urgency of his moving betwixt wickets. One of the champion players successful the satellite playing maine with truthful overmuch time, I deliberation I adjacent said ‘good shot’ successful my caput a fewer times aft being driven down the ground,” Johnson added.

‘Back astatine home’

While helium enters his 5th Australia circuit connected the backmost of a mediocre tally and his Test mean astatine an eight-year low, Johnson has backed Kohli to consciousness astatine home.

“I wonderment if the concern volition springiness him each the determination helium needs oregon if it volition each beryllium excessively overmuch for him. As a instrumentality present watching on, possibly I’d similar to spot him marque 1 much Test ton successful Australia. As his adversary from a decennary ago, possibly not.

“Ultimately, I privation to spot the champion against the champion and a bid played with each the occurrence and urgency that has travel to people this large rivalry. And I cognize that’s wherever Virat volition consciousness close astatine home,” wrote Johnson.