England's star batter Jonny Bairstow has finally opened up on the verbal volley he had with India's former skipper Virat Kohli during Day 3 of the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston on Sunday (July 3).
Kohli looked furious with Bairstow after the Englishman said something to India's star batter. However, Bairstow tried to simmer down the spat, but Kohli was in no mood to keep it to himself as he ended up giving him back.
Kohli told Bairstow to stop talking and focus on batting. The tension was palpable which forced the two on-field umpire Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough to intervene.
However, Bairstow quashed any such tension flaring up and said that there was "literally nothing" between him and Kohli.
"Refused to invite him for dinner," Bairstow jokingly said.
"As I mentioned earlier, there was literally nothing. We've been fortunate to play against each other for ten years. So, I'm pretty sure we'll be able to have dinner. Don't worry about it."
The heated exchange did no good to Indian side rather unleased the beast in Bairstow as he went on to score a 119-ball century. However, Bairstow fell shortly after his hundred as Kohli caught him off the bowling of Mohammed Shami.
The 32-year-old English batter admitted that playing against India is always tough.
"We're very lucky to be out there playing because that's why we play the game, isn't it? Two very competitive people out on the field doing what they love. And that's why we play the game. You've got 11 guys on each side that are very passionate to do so well for their country.
"And yeah, look, it's passion, it's what you play for ... So, I hope that clears it up but, look, it was great crack out there and to be playing against a fantastic team in India is, is always going to be tough. And like I said, you've got to absorb those tough periods of time and and try and shift and wrestle momentum back at others."
Taking about the match, Cheteshwar Pujara's rock solid fifty and Rishabh Pant's gritty 30 steadied India's boat after Jasprit Bumrah-led pace attack folded England to 284 on Day 3 of the ongoing Test against England on July 3.
At stumps, India were 125/3 in their second innings with Pujara (50 off 139) displaying his gutsy avatar with a half-century, battling it out in the company of the flamboyant Pant (30 off 46). The overall lead stood at 257 runs.
