Australians sledge when they get frustrated: Kohli

Adelaide, Jan 26 (IBNS) India batsman Virat Kohli criticised the Australian team for sledging on the third day of the fourth and the final cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval here Thursday.

Kohli (116), who struck his maiden Test century here, said Australians were frustrated during his 114-run stand for the sixth wicket with Wriddhiman Saha (35) that helped India recover from 111 for five.

"They (players) sledge when they get frustrated. Obviously it was hot out there. Constantly they were sledging the players so that they could spoil their concentration. During that partnership (between him and Wriddhiman Saha) they were really, really having a go," said Kohli, who also became the first Indian on this tour to get the three-figure mark.

Asked what had happened between him and Ben Hilfenhaus after he survived a run out, Kohli said: "Hilfenhaus said something to me which was quite unnecessary. It was out of the blue. He wasn´t even bowling. I had just survived a run-out on 99. He said something to me which I can´t say in press conference. I gave it back to him, (I said) you didn´t have to do anything why would you do it."

Kohli thanked former Australian captain Ricky Ponting for stepping in before things turned ugly. Ponting had to pull away Kohli.

"Ishant and I both came together and started saying, got stuck to them and he got really pissed (off). I usually play my cricket like that and I like to give it back. At the end of the day I was pretty happy with what I did. He (Ponting) told me not to give it back or I would get in trouble. He was pretty much a help with that," he said.

Kohli also said criticising India´s batting greats Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S. Laxman for poor performances in just five-six Tests was unfair.

"You don´t just curse the legends of the game for (performances in) five, six Test matches," said Kohli, whose ton came in his eighth Test match.

"The criticism and the praise ... shouldn´t be like you make them kings and then treat them like total failures if they don´t do well. It´s not fair," he said.

Kohli said that his confidence was very low after the Sydney Test, where was also fined half his match fee for giving a one-fingered gesture to the SCG crowd.

"After Sydney, it was very bad, my mental thinking - I wasn´t in a good mental space to be honest. I was putting myself under pressure. After Sydney, every day I kept telling myself I have done really well in one-day cricket and that is international cricket. I kept telling that to myself every day and started really believing in myself once again and neglecting all the other pressures. What I can control is go out there and perform, because me sitting out (of the team) is not in my hands," he said.