Bad-tempered India-Australia test series set for showdown in Dharamsala

India and Australia begin the finale of a bitterly fought test series on Saturday, with home skipper Virat Kohli keen to silence attacks that even Australia’s ex-skipper Michael Clarke has warned are “getting out of control”.

Kohli, who has been compared in the Australian press to US president Donald Trump, has had a series to forget so far after scoring only 46 in the first three tests and injuring his shoulder in the process.

The 28-year-old, who scored a record-breaking four double centuries in the four previous series, has come under scrutiny both over his form and his conduct under pressure after his controversial outburst against his opposite number Steve Smith at the end of the second test in Bangalore.

Smith, who was accused by Kohli of abusing the Decision Review System (DRS), had the last laugh by scoring a massive 178 in the third test which ended in a draw on Monday, leaving the series on a knife-edge at 1-1.

Despite clear-the-air talks before the Ranchi test, more bad blood flowed during the match with India taking offence when Australia’s Glenn Maxwell made fun of Kohli’s injury by clutching his shoulder in mock agony.

Even the chief executive of the Australian cricket board, James Sutherland, has been stirring the pot by telling a radio interviewer that he didn’t think Kohli “knows how to spell the word” sorry.