VIDEO | Virat Kohli replies to Pat Cummins' over-confident sledge in his own inimitable style

The Indian skipper claims that he doesn’t read newspapers nor does he have any interest on who says what about him. However, it is a matter of a case study that how does Kohli get to know about the stuff being said about him. In the last Australian series, in 2017, he hit back at Ian Healy and cited an example of his dishonesty after the latter made a comment against the Indian skipper. 

Ahead of the series, Pat Cummins, in an on-stage interview with Bruce McAvaney, had fired Kohli up and said, "My brave, bold prediction; I’d say I think Virat Kohli is not going to get a hundred and we’re going to knock them off over here".

And thinking Kohli didn’t know about it was a mistake he committed. Amidst the pervading tenseness of the simmering contest, Kohli struggled to get going against Cummins, often giving the impression that he was vulnerable. But that was the beauty of Test cricket. He battled hard and took his chances against the bad balls to race away to a fine century.

A Mitchell Starc delivery in the 81st over was pitched up and Kohli got forward and checked his drive before beating the mid-off fielder for a four. It took his to his 25th century of his career and like always, he was pumped up. He put his glove down and showed his finger towards his bat and then he gestured that “his bat does all the talking”. That was enough of a reply to Pat Cummins and an authoritative sign of what he could do as a batsman in Australia this series even if the odds are stacked against him.