India in Australia: Mitchell Johnson takes a dig at Virat Kohli's pledge to be sledge-free

Retired Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson has taken a dig at Indian skipper Virat Kohli's pledge to be sledge free this summer following a tweet by Fox Sports Cricket containing his remarks during a media briefing before leaving for the Australia tour.

"I look forward to no Virat send offs," wrote Johnson.

 I look forward to no Virat send offs  — Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) November 15, 2018

The two cricketers shared an intense on-field rivalry and were regularly involved in a war of words.         

Virat Kohli insisted that he had matured as a cricketer and promised to not start arguments against the Australians but only finish them. 

"If they (Australia) want to play a certain way, we will reciprocate," said Kohli. 

"That is how the game of cricket goes. But at the same time, in our own minds we have to keep it competitive."  

"We were always the ones giving it back, we were never the ones starting anything."

"So long as it doesn't start, we have no problem just focusing on our game and doing what we need to do," he added. 

Kohli recently turned 30 and admitted during the press conference that he had acted immaturely during the early days of his career by indulging in arguments to get pumped. 

"Those were very immature things that I used to feed on in my early days of my career, so that I can get pumped," Kohli said. 

"Now, being captain of the team, you literally have no room for anything else but to think of what the team wants all the time." 

"So you don't find the need for these things at all," he added. 

India's tour of Australia will commence on November 21 with the first T20 set to take place at "The Gabba".