Amid all the criticism, former Australian head coach Darren Lehmann came out in support of Virat Kohli concerning Indian skipper’s on-field conduct in Perth. He also called the Kohli-Tim Paine exchanges in Perth a good banter as the duo did not cross the line here.

The aggressive Indian batting star has been constantly facing criticism from all quarters of cricket fraternity for his animated confrontational and attitude, especially for sledging Australian captain Tim Paine in the Perth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

However, Lehmann is among those who love Kohli’s “excitable character” who enjoys his challengers and wants to win matches for his country. The Aussie cricketer also doesn’t find anything wrong in his exchanges with Paine in Perth, saying Kohli is entertaining to watch on the field.

Lehmann told reporters on Thursday, “Virat Kohli is very passionate. So that’s what you get from him on the field and that’s what he will always give you. He is an excitable character. He enjoys his challengers, and he wants to win. Not only for himself, he wants his country to win. It was good to see out there and I thought it was good banter.”

He continued, “Neither Kohli nor Tim Paine crossed the line. It was good banter, and it came across as a bit of fun on the stump mics.”

Meanwhile, Lehmann believes that the on-field face-off between Kohli and Paine was normal and the media and people around the globe shouldn’t make it a controversy.

Lehmann signed off by saying, “You have to show passion when you are playing for your country and I don’t have any issue with what happened. There shouldn’t be any drama about what happened in Perth. You just have to make sure it is never personal and play the game in right spirit. Rest, I am sure they will sort it out after the game or after the series.”

(With Press Trust of India Inputs)