‘We had a couple of run-ins’: Steve Smith recalls ‘early days’ with Virat Kohli

In a recent interaction, Steve Smith described Virat Kohli as a ‘terrific guy’, and recalled some of his early interactions with the India batsman.

Australia star cricketer Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli are two of the best batsmen in the world at the moment. While Smith and Kohli are seen at loggerheads on the field when competing for their respective teams, outside the field, the duo hold each other in utmost respect. An evidence of the same was visible when India faced Australia at World Cup last year at The Oval. The India fans at the stadium were ripping into Smith and David Warner, calling them ‘cheats’. But Kohli was quick to ask the fans to stop the chants, and instead asked them to applaud the former Australia skipper.

File image of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. (Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

In a recent interaction, Smith described Kohli as a ‘terrific guy’, and recalled some of his early interactions with the India batsman. “I have known Virat Kohli for a long time. Since 2007, I reckon, when he went up to the academy in Brisbane. I actually wasn’t a part of in-take then, but I was kind of up there, doing bowling and stuff,” the Aussie said in Star Sports’ Cricket Connected chat show on Saturday.

“He was there, we had some nice chats off the field. We had a couple of run-ins in the early days on the field. Those things happen when you are playing for your team and your emotions sometimes go out of control,” Smith further added.

“But he’s a terrific guy, he’s done terrific things with India. As an ambassador of the game. He’s getting better and better with each game, which is the scary thing,” the batsman added.

India are bound to travel to Australia later this year, and Smith believes it could be one of the best series between the two teams, especially with the quality of bowlers available.

“I am so excited. It has the potential to be an-all time great series. You see guys like Jasprit Bumrah, who has come on heaps and bounds, he’s an incredible bowler. Mohammed Shami has got better and better. Ishant Sharma has the experience,” he said.

“There are other couple of Indian bowlers who could probably just get over here as well. Both sides have some quality spinners as well. This series has the making of an all-time great series and I can’t wait for it,” he added.