Pat Cummins clarifies context of comments on Kohli

Following the outrage on fast bowler Pat Cummins' comments regarding Indian captain Virat Kohli's potential performance in this coming Australian summer, the former has cleared the air on the context in which the remarks were made and how he had intended no disrespect whatsoever to the targeted batsman.

"I was surprised by the traction the comments I made about Virat got. I was almost trying to do the opposite to the way they were perceived. I was trying to pay him a huge compliment and say that my big wish list for the summer was that he doesn't score a hundred." Cummins told cricket.com.au in a clarification statement

"He's obviously so important to the team and is such a gun batsman, so him not scoring runs would go a long way to helping us win. But I certainly didn't mean to say he's no good because I couldn't hold him in higher regard."

Cummins also pointed out the rather light nature of the interview with Bruce McAvaney and in keeping with the nature of the conversation, he said those things more in a way of "wishful thinking" instead of intending any malice or to pose any challenge to Kohli.

This is not the first instance when the fast-bowler has employed hyperbole to make a point, ahead of the home Ashes in 2017/18, he spoke about the mental ease he would be at if he even had to mankad James Anderson to regain the urn for Australia.

While Kohli will currently embark on his toughest challenge as captain and batsman, a five-match Test series in England, which remains the only country he has struggled to get going against the red ball in, Cummins had to endure the helplessness of watching the Australian bowlers get tonked all over the park on their unsuccessful tours of England and Zimbabwe.

The war of words has always been a point of discussion whenever India and Australia have faced off each other, while on most other occasions in the past, the involved cricketers have done well enough to leave the petty sledges on the field, after last year's Border Gavaskar trophy, Kohli famously mentioned that some "friendships had ended", it will be interesting to see how he deals with the words this time around.