Nearly a month after the dust settled on the ill-tempered India-Australia Test series, spinner Nathan Lyon, on Friday, stated that he would be “more than happy” to shake India skipper Virat Kohli or share a drink with him.
“I am more than happy to shake his hand and say hello to him, that is for sure. There is no harm in being nice,” Lyon was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
The four-Test series, which India won 2-1, saw tensions spill over between the two sides on several occasions. Lyon and Kohli were involved in a war of words after the second Test in Bengaluru, which the hosts won by 75 runs.
The off-spinner called Kohli “the head of the snake”, a reference borrowed from South African pacer Dale Steyn. Kohli hit back saying: “It’s not about one individual here – if they keep focusing on the head of the snake then the snake can sting from a lot of directions. I think some people need to keep that in mind.”
After the final Test at Dharamsala, Kohli categorically told reporters that they would no longer hear him call the Australian cricketers as his friends. The Indian team also declined Australia’s invitation to have round of drinks.
Lyon stated that he would gladly bond with his opponents away from the cricket pitch, “I am the type of guy who will play hard on the field and compete very hard but I am more than happy to talk to anyone off the field,” Lyon said.
Lyon, though, admitted that it was difficult to mend fences with Kohli, “I don’t think Virat will give me a Christmas card,” he joked. Shedding light over the 28-year-old’s demeanour on the field, Lyon added: “He gets a crowd up behind him over in India, but that is who he is.”
Lyon had a good outing in the Test series, finishing with 19 wickets, which included scalping a career-best 8/50 at Bengaluru.