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#INDvAUS: Virat Kohli says no 'regrets', Steve Smith calls it 'rubbish'

Even as BCCI & CA doused the fire with a joint release over DRS controversy, the captains of both teams were at it again

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Australian captain Steve Smith (L) prepares for batting practice during a training session while India skipper Virat Kohli plays football with his teammates on the eve of the third Test starting today in Ranchi
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India captain Virat Kohli is not one to backtrack. Be it on the cricket field or when it comes to taking on the opposition in war of words.

Having made allegations against his Australian counterpart Steve Smith of cheating without using the eight-letter word and using Decision Referral System on more than one occasion during the Bengaluru Test last week, Kohli says he won't take back his words. Even if Smith has admitted to making a mistake by looking towards the dressing room for help with DRS.

If one expected that the controversy was buried with Cricket Australia and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issuing a joint statement a couple of days after the second Test, that was still not the case.

Both Kohli and Smith were asked if one can expect a sledging-free Test starting here on Thursday and if the bitterness of whatever happened in Bengaluru will be carried forward in this Test.

"I think about what I say. I don't regret anything that I have said," Kohli said here on Wednesday. "But at the same time, it is very important not to be stupid and go on about the same thing on a daily basis because there is cricket to be played. There was a decent break in between and we certainly don't want to sit and think about one issue all the time. We have cricket to play, we have two Test matches to play and that's what we need to focus on.

"I think it was a mature decision on everyone's part to move on from that. We have seen instances in the past stretch too long and it just causes disharmony and there is no outcome of it, honestly. I wouldn't say that we are trying to push anything any further but we just need to focus on the two games that are left."

Smith said that it was "rubbish" on Kohli's part to say that Australians sought help for DRS on more than one occasion.

He is looking forward to Thursday's formal meeting before the Test begins and seek to address the matter. "Perhaps I might be able to ask a few questions," Smith said when asked if he will get to clear the air with Kohli on Thursday.

"Will see what the mood is like at that time. Virat obviously stuck by his comments. From my point of view, they are completely wrong. I wish he came out after the game and said, 'I made a mistake'. It was an error on my behalf, it was a brain fade. In regard to saying that we do it consistently is completely rubbish in my opinion. I think he was wrong in his statement," the Aussie added.

Kohli and Smith felt that it was important to move on and focus on the game on hand.

The four-Test series is wide open at one-all and two to play. Kohli said: "A lot has been given into the incident, I feel. It's time we focus on the remainder of the series. That is what I honestly feel because there is a lot of cricket to be played and it shouldn't happen in bad taste. What has happened in Bengaluru has happened. We are in Ranchi and we should look forward to tomorrow (Thursday). We understand that as cricketers and, as I said, what has happened has happened in the past and we need to look forward."

Smith said that the bitterness of the previous Test will not be taken into the current one. "It is about moving on and concentrating on this Test match. It has been a great series so far. Hopefully, cricket can be the winner in this Test. It is an exciting one, one-all in the series, half way through the series. We all are excited about this Test match and hopefully it will be a good one."

Kohli's verbal duel

During the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Virat Kohli was asked 10 questions, of which five were on the controversy surrounding the Bengaluru Test. On one occasion, an Australian journalist even had a little one-on-one with Kohli.

Here is how it went:

Aussie journalist: Is it appropriate for international captain to make serious allegations and not provide evidence to substantiate that:

Kohli: What were the allegations?

Aussie journalist: That Australia weren't using the DRS the right way, two other occasions...

Kohli: But, what were the allegations called?

Aussie journalist: Doesn't matter what the allegation is called…

Kohli: But it does because it has to be called something for me to be questioning something about someone to call it an allegation. If no charges were pressed against me, how are those allegations?

Aussie journalist: You said two instances when you were batting, Australia used the DRS wrongly. Stand by that?

Kohli: As I said, we need to move on and focus on the game tomorrow (Thursday). We have got two more Test matches to go. There are two sides of the coin. I could be speaking about another (thing) again and things are just not going to move forward. Everyone sitting here has his own interest and chooses to ask what he wants to. But our focus remains on the game and we need to look forward.

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