Fiery young Indian batsman Virat Kohli scored his maiden Test century before attacking Australia's crowds as abusive drunks and accusing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus of making offensive remarks.
Kohli hit a memorable 116 on the third day of the fourth Test at Adelaide Oval after the Australian bowlers led by Peter Siddle ripped through the rest of the Indian top order.
Kohli had a nervous moment on 99 when he was almost run out and the 23-year-old batsman took offence at a comment from Hilfenhaus in the field at this time.
"Hilfenhaus said something to me which was totally unnecessary, out of the blue," Kohli said.
"He said something which I can't say obviously in a press conference.
"I gave it back to him saying 'you didn't even have anything to do with that. Why did you do that?'.
"Ishant (number 10 batsman Ishant Sharma) and me both came together and starting saying stuff to them.
"I usually play my cricket like that. I like to give it back.
"They sledge when they get frustrated.
"Constantly, they were sledging the players so they could spoil our concentration.
"To give it back verbally and then score a hundred is even better.
"We don't go out there to take any kind of stuff from anyone."
Kohli, who was fined for flipping a one-finger gesture at abusive fans at the Sydney Test earlier this month, hit out at Australia's crowds.
"In Sydney, they were after me because I wasn't scoring and today they were ... because I got a hundred," he said.
"It is really, really frustrating at times because they say stuff which shouldn't be said on a cricket field.
"We go out there to play, not to get abused like that.
"If they've come here to enjoy the game, they should do that and not get drunk and abuse players."
Siddle says he admired Kohli as a tough competitor who does not mind giving a bit of "chirp" and denied there was anything malicious in Australia's sledging.
"The bloke batted well to get to 99 and looked to really run himself out just ridiculously," Siddle said.
"That's what we were trying to tell him. You don't want to do that to yourself when you're on 99 and just throw your wicket away.
"I like coming up against him. It's a nice challenge to have out there and that's what people want to watch in Test cricket."
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia First posted January 26, 2012 20:58:11
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