When Shikhar Dhawan proved at Brisbane that he is no 'chicken'!

Day Four Brisbane test. Shikhar Dhawan sits out. Virat Kohli walks in.

India have resumed proceedings on the fourth day, at 71 for one, trying to slash Australia's 97-run first-innings lead. 

A 'fuming' Kohli walks in to replace the 'injured' Dhawan, who cannot play further due to an apparent knock picked up on the wrist, the previous day.

Kohli's demeanour clearly indicates a man walking in to bat against his wishes, and as he takes guard, the Australian pace battery smack their lips with anticipation. 

Kohli departs. 76 for 2. India crumble.

Virat Kohli's dismissal triggered India's collapse at Brisbane (Getty Images)

Mental demons probably get to Kohli as he pulls a Mitchell Johnson delivery right on to his stumps, thus bringing an end to his 11 ball sojourn.

Kohli survives the green-top and Aussie onslaught for exactly 13 minutes. 

As the Delhi dasher walks away, probably to give Dhawan a taste of his own version of the 'hair-dryer' treatment, Johnson and co. are left jubilant. Australia have the wicket they desperately wanted.

Chickened out?

Dhawan who is cooling his heels in the dressing room reportedly gets involved in a shouting match with the enraged Kohli, who knows by now that Australia have gained control of the match.

Allegations and counter-allegations flow thick and fast between the two, as Kohli reportedly questions Dhawan's 'commitment' towards the team.

Though Dhawan defends himself by maintaining a stoic stand on his injury, Kohli is not convinced. He feels the former 'chickened out' by opting to sit out and thus made a mess of the team combination.

As a blame-game soap opera is being played out between the two, news filters in that three more Indian batsmen have been sent packing by the Aussies, thus signalling a potential death knell for India in the contest.

Enter mediator Ravi Shastri

Team director Shastri defuses the situation and separates both players, in a bid to stop things spiralling out of control.

Shastri's lays out a strong statement that 'no player is bigger than the team', and brings some semblance of sanity in the dressing room.

The dressing room atmosphere turns even more sombre when India get reduced to 143 for 7, and as Cheteshwar Pujara trods in, out walks Dhawan to make a telling statement.

Chicken...me?

As Dhawan is welcomed on to the crease by the cacophony of the Australian in-fielders, the steely glint in his eyes give off the fact that he is indeed no 'chicken'!

With India tottering at 143 for 7, Dhawan resembles a gladiator preparing to face the Australian lions at their Gabba Colosseum, and as Johnson steams in, Dhawan takes stance, brimming with determination.

Dhawan, the fighter.

Shikhar Dhawan fought tooth and nail against Australia on Day 4 (Getty Images)

By the time Dhawan is dismissed for 81, thanks to a beauty from off-spinner Nathan Lyon, the writing on the wall is clear. India have crumbled to 203 for 8 and the match is well and truly out of sight now.

Though it may never be known whether Dhawan may have gone back and given Kohli a befitting reply to their earlier joust, the opener has proved that he is indeed the 'braveheart' amongst the beleaguered Indians.

Dhawan negotiates Australia with aplomb and looks like a vigilante ready to break through the Australian brick wall.

204 minutes, 145 balls, eight hits to the boundary, are proof enough of his resilience and by the time he is finished, Kohli may well have regretted his mindless outburst!

As Australia mop up the rest of the Indian tail within the space of a few overs, Dhawan's knock remains the sole beacon amongst the Australian storm.

Repercussions of the spat

Though Australia later went on to clinch a thrilling four-wicket win over India on the very same day, the Kohli-Dhawan spat is a stark reminder of the fact that all is not well within the Indian camp as of now.

Agreed that though Dhawan's injury came at an untimely hour, and Kohli had to bat in a makeshift position which ultimately swung the game in Australia's favour, still the dressing room fiasco was uncalled for and only gives out the fact that not all is well.

Despite Dhawan putting in a virtuoso performance later on, enough water has passed under the bridge and the focus must lie on the upcoming Boxing Day test match at Melbourne.

India will have to put aside the Dhawan-Kohli spat ahead of Melbourne (Getty Images)

The spat only sends out wrong signals and India's scenario in the ongoing Test series may go from bad to worse, provided they rejig themselves as a unit, and try to salvage something from the series.

With Australia all but ready to launch another assault on the Indian batsmen, come the third test at Melbourne, the onus now lies on Dhawan and Kohli to reunite as a band of brothers and help the demoralised team take the fight to the rival camp.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once put it, “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars”. India may do well to take inspiration from the great American philosopher and gain a morale boosting win at Melbourne.

And of course, it may well be Dhawan at the foremost of things, ready to cross the road and the Australians and prove that, well, he is no 'chicken'.