A rare video of Ricky Ponting calming down Virat Kohli during his fight with David Warner in the 2011/12 India vs Australia series has gone viral recently on social media.
Fans would remember Virat Kohli being at his highest energy levels, showing his passion and giving it back to the Aussie sledges during his younger days. India had a horrific Test series in Australia in 2011/12. But Kohli returned as their shining light, being the only Indian to notch up a century in the 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Michael Clarke’s team.
During the 4th Test of the series in Adelaide, Virat Kohli was involved in a heated verbal battle with David Warner, another player who was hyper-energetic and never shied away from sledging the opposition in the early years of his international career.
As Kohli was nearing his century, Warner sledged the then-young Indian star with some verbal vollies. Not taking any of it lying down, Kohli gave it back angrily to Warner and both had an intensified exchange near pitchside.
Such was the energy and aggression of Virat Kohli that it needed Ricky Ponting to calm him down! Imagine the heat and aggression in a young Kohli and Warner that Ponting of all people needed to be the peacemaker.
Watch: Virat Kohli fights with David Warner in 2011/12 series; Ricky Ponting acts peacemaker
Ponting calming down Kohli 😭pic.twitter.com/KsZDsCmOX1 https://t.co/Jp2y8gIuPY
— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) January 9, 2024
Virat Kohli went on to record a memorable ton – his first Test ton in Australia – in Adelaide in that game that secured his place in the Test team. It was later revealed by Virender Sehwag that India were about to drop Kohli a couple of Tests ago, but he suggested MS Dhoni to give Kohli a few more chances and he grabbed it with both hands in Perth with his 75 and in Adelaide with his ton.
Also Read: “In My Opinion, David Warner Is Not A Great Of The Game” – Former Australia Coach
