Board of Control for Cricket in India

Indian captain Virat Kohli

And now no tall claims, only restrained replies by Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri Kohli, Shastri keep emotions and words in check as India leave for another overseas test in Australia

Commentator Harsha Bhogle

Aussie test for india Having sealed place in the semis, India look to keep the slate clean against formidable rivals

Andrew Symonds

Harbhajan Singh

Sachin Tendulkar

(Only the headline of this story has been changed as the previous headline seemed to suggest a memo had been issued when it was actually a conversation between CoA and captain Virat Kohli.)India captain was told to behave with humility in his interactions with both the press and the public, after his comment asking a fan to leave India if he preferred players from other countries was met with widespread censure.The’s Committee of Administrators (COA) has askedto conduct himself with “humility” on the tour of Australia which kicks off with a T20I game on November 21.In the days leading up to Team India’s departure for Australia on Friday, a COA member in a WhatsApp chat took up with Virat the matter of being civil and courteous in his interactions. This was followed by a phone call in which it was reiterated that he must, at all times, behave in a manner that befits the captain of the Indian team.“He was told to be humble, in his interactions both with the press and the public,” said a COA official. It was conveyed to Kohli that his recent conduct reeked of arrogance. While Kohli’s immediate response to the advice is not known, his subdued behavior at the pre-tour press conference on Thursday seemed to suggest that he had taken it seriously.Virat kicked up a controversy last week when he asked a fan to leave India for saying he preferred watching English and Australian batsmen over Indian players. Virat was interacting with fans on his app when he made the intemperate remark. “I don’t think you should live in India then,” he responds to the critical fan. “Why are you living in our country and loving other countries?”The India captain, arguably the world’s best batsman at this point, was criticised by fellow players and critics for his arrogant comment.said Virat’s statement was “a reflection of the bubble that most famous people either slip into or are forced into. The voices within it are frequently those that they wish to hear. It is a comfortable bubble and that is why famous people must try hard to prevent it from forming.”Kohli has, on several occasions, gotten into confrontations with the media, the recent instances being the overseas tours in South Africa and England. At a post-match press conference in London, Kohli got into an ugly argument with a journalist over coach Shastri’s comment that the squad touring England was the best in the last 15 years. In South Africa, he ticked off a reporter when asked about frequent changes he was making to the playing 11.The COA decided to caution Virat also because India-Australia series have historically been acrimonious – both on the field and off it.The most infamous of all was Monkeygate in 2008, whenaccusedof calling him a monkey. Harbhajan was initially suspended for three matches but, after BCCI protested andtestified in favour of Harbhajan, the punishment was overturned. It led to a huge controversy in Australia.The acrimony between the two teams raises its head during every series. Last year, the two teams had heated exchanges during a Test match in Bangalore after Steve Smith looked up at the players’ balcony while deciding whether to review an umpire’s decision, apparently hoping for guidance. Smith claimed it was a ‘brain fade’ but it led to a war of words between the teams. When Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland was asked later if Kohli should apologise for questioning Smith’s integrity, he said he was not sure if Kohli knew how to spell sorry.