Glenn Maxwell reveals why he will not sledge Virat Kohli

What’s the story?

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell does not want to sledge Virat Kohli during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 28-year-old, who is believed to share a good off-field rapport with the Indian skipper, insisted that riling him up might not be the best way to stop his imperious run.

“I'm probably not going to say anything to him, that's for sure. Virat is up and down, I suppose, with sledging. If you (strike) a chord with him or something gets him agitated to play a big shot, then (the) blokes are more than welcome to go for it. But at the moment, there's not much agitating him. I think Steve (Smith) said it perfectly in the press conference yesterday. The guys that want to get involved verbally – if that gets the best out of them, then go for it,” Maxwell told cricket.com.au.

On Australia’s strategy to counter Kohli’s irrepressible form, he hoped, “The thing with that (form) is it can take only one bit of bad luck or an unfortunate dismissal where he's run out or something and that can sometimes trigger a little bit of indecision or doubt. So hopefully in the first couple of Tests, we can create that doubt and get him wondering about his technique.“

The Background

Kohli has led India to a sequence of 19 unbeaten Tests and six successive series victories. The 28-year-old Delhi batsman began his Test captaincy against Australia in the 2014 Adelaide Test and immediately showed his class with a century in each innings.

Though the visitors lost by just 48 runs, they sent out a strong message by opting to go after the daunting target of 364 on a rapidly deteriorating fifth-day pitch.

The heart of the matter

Sledging has been a vital part of Australia’s no-holds-barred approach. Despite being well aware of the gruelling challenge that awaits them, skipper Smith publicly urged his team-mates to treat the Indians to verbal aggression.

Maxwell has had his fair share of drama with the wiles of Ravichandran Ashwin. Largely seen during the limited-overs formats, the Victorian’s unorthodox sweep shots have often annoyed the off-spinner, who would unfurl his own set of variations.

The hard-hitting batsman’s words could indicate Australia’s reluctance to sledge Kohli. With double centuries in four consecutive series, the Indian captain could get even more fired up if the visitors were to have a go at him verbally.

What’s next?

Having been brought back to the Test squad, the four-match series presents a massive opportunity for Maxwell to showcase his skills in the game’s traditional format. The first Test is slated to begin on the 23^rd at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Sportskeeda’s Take

Considering the number of interviews focusing on their Indian tour, the mood in the Australian camp seems to be one of pensiveness rather than excitement. It remains to be seen how chirpy they will be against an in-form and ruthless unit in their own backyard.

As we have seen over the course of the last season or two, the Kohli-led Indian team does not shy away from responding to verbal attacks. The stage is set for a fascinating series.