Kohli won’t go looking for fight with Paine in Boxing Day Test

Indian captain Virat Kohli won't go looking for a verbal fight with Tim Paine but has vowed to maintain his typical passionate style as the touring nation heads into the Boxing Day Test in a state of flux.

Kohli and Australian counterpart Paine were locked in a series of barbs during the Perth Test, with Paine even heard on stump microphone asking of Murali Vijay: "I know he's your captain but you can't seriously like him as a bloke".

Australian captain Tim Paine and Indian captain Virat Kohli are set to resume hostilities in Melbourne after a fiery Perth Test.Credit:AAP

The Indian skipper had said pre-series he had matured and no longer needed on-field spats to fuel his intensity but that changed in Perth when his team slumped to a 146-run loss.

Kohli and Paine even had a mild chest bump as the Australian completed a run when batting and Kohli got unnecessarily close at the non-striker's end.

Emotions are set to stir again in Melbourne, where the series resumes locked on 1-1, and India have made three changes including taking the drastic option of dropping both openers.

KL Rahul (48 runs at 12) and Murali Vijay (49 runs at 12.25) were axed, having managed only 72 runs in unison (one half-century stand) in four innings. Debutant Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari, with two Tests to his name, are in line to open. Vihari batted at No.6 in Perth last week.

Hanuma Vihari could open the batting for India in Melbourne.Credit:AP

Kohli was asked about being the so-called "villain" through this series but said he had no interest in escalating matters with Paine.

"I don't think so. That's in the past. As I said, it's Test cricket at the highest level when two tough teams are going against each other. There will be things that happen on the field. I think it's important to leave it there and focus on the next Test match. We are definitely not looking to find something to talk about," he said.

"You just want to play good, competitive cricket and when both teams are passionate and desperate to win, obviously, those things happen on the field. As I said, as long as the line is not crossed, you have no issues. I said that before the last Test as well. I am sure Tim and myself both understand what happened and we definitely don't want to do something unnecessary. We want to lead our teams well and play good cricket the public wants to see."

That's what all supporters will be hoping, particularly those who sat through last summer's snooze-fest against England at the MCG when only 24 wickets fell on a pitch later branded poor by the International Cricket Council.

Curator Michael Page has worked diligently on trying to improve the drop-in wickets, experimenting through the Sheffield Shield season. It's hoped a new sand base and more moisture will ensure there is a greater balance between bat and ball.

India and Australia drew in their most recent Boxing Day clash four years ago, and the captain hopes there will be more life for his bowlers this time.

"Last time the pitch played a big part in not being able to have a result either way for both sides. But seeing the pitch now, it has much more grass than it had last time. I hope that it is a lively pitch," he said.

"I hope it does as much as it did in the first two games because as a side we are always in for a result that way. The surface, what I saw yesterday, looked pretty dry underneath. There is a good coverage of grass which should keep the surface intact but again we will have to figure out on the field how the pitch actually plays and figure our plans accordingly.

"I think it should have enough for the bowlers to be interested on all days of the Test match. Hopefully it's a much more lively wicket than the last time we played here."

The tourists were unable to recall master spinner Ravi Ashwin, who has not recovered from an abdominal injury, but have left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja back in the fold in place of fast bowler Umesh Yadav.

Kohli has fond memories of Melbourne, and said lining up for the national anthem on Boxing Day was his favourite moment of a Test he described as magical.

In a year when he again has thrashed more than 1200 runs, including becoming only the third skipper in Test history to post 1000 runs on the road, the tourists will hope he can reprise his first-innings century of Perth. He said the key to success on foreign pitches was mental determination.

"There is no real secret. For me, what has worked for me is being comfortable where I am playing, not necessarily looking at how difficult the wicket is but if you are able to feel comfortable there, you are more or less in control of what you want to do," he said.

"As a batsman, if at any stage you are hesitating or scared of the pace and bounce, and then you are definitely going to get hit. So, that is something you sit in your room and work on. It's not something you can just arrive and feel on that particular day. It's something that I work on the mindset. I think that's the only and most important thing to get into that frame of mind where you think you are ready to get runs anywhere and that takes a constant effort on a daily basis."

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