Australian players pick India star 'who sledges the most', it's not Virat Kohli

The Australian cricket team players recently identified the Indian star known for his sledging abilities, and surprisingly, it was not Virat Kohli. The matches between India and Australia have been marked by intense moments, with players from both teams displaying on-field aggression. 

In a video shared by Star Sports on social media, Australian players including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and Marnus Labuschagne unanimously agreed that Rishabh Pant is the most prolific sledger in the current Indian cricket team.

"Main (sledging) pyaar se karta hu!" 

Never change, @RishabhPant17  Once again, wishing you a Pant-astic year ahead! 

See him soon in the #ToughestRivalry! #AUSvINDOnStar, starts NOV 22! pic.twitter.com/TIbRLQoTH3

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 4, 2024

Pant himself reflected on his past sledging exchanges with Tim Paine during the 2018 series, and even mentioned that the then Australian Prime Minister recognized him for his sledging prowess. 

"Nobody plans and do it. But I don't like it when someone does it, so I sledge politely. They were saying things like 'Big MS is here, 'Come and play T20 cricket in Hobart, you'll get a good apartment, babysit my kids'. I also said a few things," said Pant. 

Australia's recent history against India in Test cricket has been less than stellar, with their last two home Test series losses to India tarnishing their record Down Under over the past decade. Furthermore, Australia has not emerged victorious in a Test series against India since the 2014-15 season, suffering twin series defeats both at home and away. Following their 2-0 series win a decade ago, Australia has faltered in the subsequent four series against India, succumbing to defeats under the leadership of Virat Kohli in 2016-17 and 2018-19, Ajinkya Rahane in 2021, and Rohit Sharma in 2023. This trend highlights the challenges Australia has faced in overcoming the formidable Indian cricket team in recent years.

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