Cold post-match moment proves skippers' toxic relationship

If you ever had any doubt about the authenticity of Tim Paine’s running stoush with Virat Kohli, this was the moment to put them to bed.

The warring skippers met for a final time in Perth to shake hands after what was one of the mostly hotly contested Tests in recent memories.

But instead of making peace, Paine and Kohli were purely going through the motions as they exchanged a truly frosty hand-shake.

As Paine walked from the field as the winning skipper, Kohli approached him from the Indian sheds, looking like he was on a mission to get the pleasantries done as quickly as possible.

BRUTAL: The arrogant Virat Kohli sledge that backfired big time

CRACKS EMERGING? India star takes swipe at own team

Photographers captured the cold moment the captains shook hands.

Eye contact between the pair appeared to be at minimal levels, as was any conversation.

It was clear to everyone who witnessed the moment that the pair aren’t going to be friendly any time soon.

The frosty handshake came one day after stump microphones picked up Paine’s absolutely brutal sledge of Kohli to an Indian teammate.

After a series of sledging battles between the pair, and even an on-field collision on the fourth day in Perth, the war reached boiling point as Paine took a massive crack at the Indian captain.

Following the dismissal of Kohli for 17 runs off the bowling of Lyon, Paine whispered a sledge to Murali Vijay from his position at wicket-keeper which was picked up by the Fox Sports stump microphones.

“I know he (Kohli) is your captain, but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke?” Paine asked.

However, after the match Paine insisted he doesn’t find Virat Kohli annoying.

Paine and Kohli engaged in a number of tit-for-tat moments throughout the second Test at Perth Stadium, with Australia having the last laugh as they cruised to a 146-run win to level the series at 1-1.

The two skippers were ordered to keep their cool by the umpires in Perth, but it didn’t stop them from taking cheeky digs at each other.

During one incident, Kohli got in the way of Paine as the Australian was completing a run, with the two players coming chest to chest.

Both captains moved to downplay the rivalry after the match, declaring no lines had been crossed.

But the simmering tension is set to flow over to the MCG, especially with the series still up for grabs.

When asked whether Kohli was annoying, Paine was diplomatic in his response.

“Not to me, no. I love it,” Paine said.

“I enjoy watching him, I always have. I think he brings out the competitive spirit in a lot of people, which I think is great, and I’m sure it was great to watch.”

So did the two players actually make contact when they came chest to chest?

“I don’t think we did touch to be honest. We got pretty close,” Paine said.

Kohli engaged in a heated war with some Australian players during a bitter 2014 Test series between the two countries.

He felt the current series has been played in much better spirit.

“It’s definitely nothing compared to 2014 to be honest,” Kohli said.

“But look, it stays on the field whatever happens. As long as there’s no swearing out there on the field, and there’s no personal attacks, the line doesn’t get crossed.

Australia had been criticised in recent times for being too nice in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.

Paine feels the team has started to find a better balance, and was proud of their conduct in the second Test.

The 34-year-old said it was important for players to realise when to “stick up for your mates” and not “be walked all over”.

Australia coach Justin Langer felt the Paine-Kohli battle was carried out in the right manner.

“I don’t think at any point there was any abuse, there was no real aggro to it,” Langer told Cricket 360.

“There was actually a bit of Aussie humour … and I like that. That’s what we pride ourselves on.

“We’ve got a bad reputation in a lot of ways, but if there’s a bit of humour in it … I think it was a good exchange.”

For now, Australia are celebrating their first Test win under captain Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer.

It was the culmination of nine months of soul-searching and struggles.

Australia levelled the four-Test series in style, turning the screws in 65 minutes on day five to set the stage for a high-stakes Boxing Day bout.

“It’s probably more relief at the moment,” Paine said.

“The first win has taken a while. I’m really proud of all our players.”

The hosts captured the early ascendancy from the moment Paine won the toss and stayed on top of the world No.1 Test team despite a couple of inspired fightbacks, the most notable of which was spearheaded by Virat Kohli’s first century on tour.

“They were more relentless,” Kohli said.

“Australia played much better than us, especially with the bat in the first innings … they deserved to win.”

India resumed at 5-112 on Tuesday, having been asked to complete what would have been a record-breaking chase of 287, and were quickly rolled for 140.

Their hopes of a miracle evaporated amid a brutal bouncer barrage, in which Mitchell Starc struck Umesh Yadav on the shoulder and then accepted a return catch in the same over.

An outstanding catch from Peter Handscomb helped man of the match Nathan Lyon dismiss danger man Rishabh Pant.

Lyon, the leading wicket-taker in the series with 16 scalps at 19.43, finished with match figures of 8-106 to raise further questions about India’s decision to pick a four-prong pace attack in Perth.

“Every team wants a spinner like Nathan,” Paine said.

“You can throw him the ball in any conditions, any end, to any batter.”

Australia snapped a six-Test winless streak, which dated back to their infamous tour of South Africa in March.

Much has been made of Australia’s failures, on and off the field, since the Cape Town cheating scandal.

Paine, whose cheeky chirping behind the stumps continued on day five, has remained calm throughout the crisis and in Perth his inexperienced teammates showed similar fight.

Australia celebrated jubilantly when Pat Cummins held a skied catch off his own bowling to end the match, shook hands with Kohli’s team then quickly turned their attention to thanking the fans at Perth Stadium.

With AAP