Shami terms Kohli-Paine verbal spat as part of game

Reacting to the verbal spat between Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Australian skipper Tim Paine, pacer Mohammed Shami on Monday said that "it is part of the game."

"I cannot say much about it. It is part of the game, but nothing too serious. When you play Test cricket, it is a long match and you have a long time so a little bit aggression is there," he said.

"If these things do not happen in the match then I think the match won't be interesting. Maybe in that moment, things get heated up but it is not something to be made a big issue out of," Shami added.

The on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney had to interrupt the two players reminding them that they both are captains of their respective teams.

When asked about the pitch, Shami said it is like a normal Perth pitch and that is how it has played so far. "You can see first two days the wicket was very good. But the third day it was going a little up and down, and there was uneven bounce as well. It is in everybody's minds that on day three and four there will be some up and down," he added.

Talking about not having a spinner in the squad, Shami said that team management makes these decisions. "We had one spinner (Hanuma Vihari) who didn't bowl badly. I feel there should have been a spinner, but these things depend on your management," he said.

India ended the fourth day of the second Test at the Perth Stadium on 112/5, requiring another 175 runs to register a victory and go 2-0 in the four-Test match series against Australia.