Don't upset Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, says Dean Jones while rebutting Michael Clarke's remark on Australia

Former Australian cricketer and now commentator Dean Jones dissented from Michael Clark’s remark on Australia not sledgingVirat Kohli with the view to their Indian Premier League contracts.

Dean Jones stated that Australia has always refrained from upsetting players, including Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, who fancy confrontation. Dean Jones said confrontation is like oxygen and the Assuies ensured that they didn’t give it to him.

Jones’ comments come after, Clarke, earlier, stated that Australia cricketers sucked up to India and were too scared of sledging the Indian skipper Virat Kohli during the Test series that India won 2-1.

"I will tell you the reason why they went quiet on Virat. Because we went quiet when Viv Richards came out to bat. We went quiet on Javed Miandad, on Martin Crowe. And there is a reason behind that -- You don't upset the bear, you don't upset Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni because this is what they like - a confrontation," Dean Jones said during an interaction on Sportscreen YouTube page.

"Don't give them any oxygen. But I find this reason about not upsetting Virat because of IPL contracts a bit rubbish. Is Virat going to stop anyone from playing? That is down to the coaches and managers."

Australia’s Test skipper Tim Paine had turned down Michael Clarke’s claims, saying no Australian players were thinking about IPL contracts while playing against India in the cosely fought series.

"I'm not sure who was going easy on him; we certainly had a thing where we didn't want to provoke any fight with him because we think that's when he plays at his best," Paine told ESPNCricinfo.

"Who knows what will happen this series and, as we saw in the documentary, there was still quite a lot of heat in some of those games. I certainly wasn't holding back, but again the IPL's not a huge draw for me at the moment, so I had nothing to lose.

"But anytime our guys go out and play a Test match for Australia, they'll be giving their absolute all and I'm pretty sure they're not thinking about an IPL contract when they're running in, bowling to Virat."

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