Kolkata, April 14: So, the India-Australia Test series, rivetting and rancorous in equal measure, is done and dusted and another edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is on in full swing. Hence, all is well between India and Australia cricketers. Or so they would have you believe.
From Steve Smith’s ‘brain fade’, Ishant Sharma’s monkey faces to Virat Kohli saying he wouldn’t be friends with Australians, the four-Test series, which India won 2-1, was studded with incidents that wasn’t quite cricket.
But Kings XI Punjab’s Wriddhiman Saha spoke of having blocked out acrimony from that series on Wednesday. And on Friday, Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner suggested relations between players of the two teams were never really cold. “We’ve always gelled very well,” said Warner at the Fanattic Sports Museum.
“On the field when you wear your country’s clothes, it is a different feeling. We will do anything to try and beat each other. There were a few antics on and off the field but we are all still good friends. We enjoy a laugh, this galvanises everyone together in International cricket,” said Warner.
“That’s something we like. We play in the spirit of the game. There’s fairplay award in this tournament. That plays a big role in International cricket. We are advocates of the game and we have to ensure that the game is played in a nice, fair spirit.”
This wasn’t the Warner who was called ‘thuggish’ for his behaviour on the field speaking. Neither was this the man who got into altercations with players that weren’t always just verbal. Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody said: “David has matured on and off the field. It takes time to evolve not just as cricketers but young men as well.”
