Australia players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli:Michael Clarke

Sydney, 6/4: In an explosive interview, former Australian skipper and world cup winner Michael Clarke alleges that Australian players were too scared to sledge Virat Kohli due to hefty IPL contracts.

Clarke’s comments come months after several Australian players sealed big-money contracts with Indian Premier League. Fast bowler Pat Cummins broke the record for the costliest foreign buy at the auction when he was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 15.5 crore. Glenn Maxwell commanded Rs 10.75 crore from Kings XI Punjab while Nathan Coulter-Nile was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 8 crore.

Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch was sold to Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 4.4 crore.

Clarke said,” Everybody knows how powerful India are in regards to the financial part of the game, internationally or domestically with the IPL,”

“I feel that Australian cricket, and probably every other team over a little period, went the opposite and actually sucked up to India. They were too scared to sledge Kohli or the other Indian players because they had to play with them in April”. he added