We won't be the first ones to indulge in sledging, assures Virat Kohli

The Australian players have of late refrained from sledging, which is perfectly fine with Indian captain Virat Kohli, who is happy to compete "without any altercation" during the upcoming series Down Under

India left for their much-awaited tour of Australia on Thursday evening. Ahead of their departure, skipper Virat Kohli addressed a press conference and apart from speaking on various points, he assured that no matter how the Australians play their game but the Indian players won't be the first ones to indulge in any kind of sledging. 

The Australian players have of late refrained from sledging, which is perfectly fine with Indian captain Virat Kohli, who is happy to compete "without any altercation" during the upcoming series Down Under.

“I think that's (no sledging policy) a very personal thing for them. But when it comes to getting engaged in an argument on the field or a fight as people want to call it excitedly, I have been completely ok with playing without the altercation,” Kohli told media persons at the pre-departure press conference.

Kohli, once criticised for his overly aggressive behaviour said that he has passed that phase in his career and more matured as an individual.

“I am very happy within my own space, so on a personal level, I don't find any need to go and find these things anymore. I mean, I have enough belief in my abilities. I can play without a reason to pump myself up and those are very immature things that I used to feel during the early days of my career,” the skipper said.

As the leader of the national team, he already has too much on his plate and can't afford to think about external matters of little or no consequence.

“Now being captain of the team, you have no room for anything else but to think of what the team wants all the time. So you don't find the need for these things at all and as you said they will not give it back,” Kohli said.

However, he reminded that his team has never started on anything and only reacted to situations.

“We were always the ones giving it back. We were never the ones starting anything. So as long as it does not start, we have no problem in just focusing on our game and doing what we need to do.

“We don't necessarily need to go and look out for something. If they want to play a certain way, we will reciprocate in that way. That's how the game of cricket goes but at the same time, in our minds, we will have to keep it competitive and not let our energies drop. That will be our main focus,” the skipper elaborated.