Nathan Lyon spun Kohli out to hurtle Australia towards a pulsating first Test match victory since Sandpapergate and once the King had fallen, Paine delivered the most cutting sledge to light the fuse for a Boxing Day blockbuster at the MCG with the score set to be levelled at 1-1 on Tuesday.
“I know he’s your captain,” Paine said to Kohli’s teammate, Murali Vijay.
“But you can’t seriously like him as a bloke.”
Next over, Vijay also folded to Lyon and with India to start the final day 174 behind with only five wickets in hand, a drought-breaking triumph for the history books awaits Paine and Australia.
Kohli was back to his old tricks as he mischievously tattled on Paine to the umpires in a bid to hoodwink them about who was the instigator. And at another point the Indian captain changed his line to virtually invite a physical confrontation with Paine at the end of the pitch.
It’s understood Kohli tried to bait Paine by boastfully referring to himself as “the best player in the world” and by contrast, mocking the Australian’s standing as a skipper.
Bristling former Test great Mitchell Johnson revealed that Australian players told him on the ground at lunch that Kohli had been busy ‘dobbing’ to the teacher.
“I was just speaking to a couple of the boys and Virat was going to the umpire and telling the umpire that, ‘Tim Paine is talking to me, can you tell him to stop’” Johnson told Fox Cricket.
Josh Hazlewood insisted Kohli’s consistent abuse – sometimes delivered in Hindi – was not personal and refused to admit frustration that the Indian captain appears a law unto himself compared to the strict scrutiny that binds this new-look Australian team.
“We go about our work how we see fit and the Indians can do what they like,” said Hazlewood.
“It’s going to get a little bit heated from time to time … but we’re pretty confident we can hold that line.”
Kohli’s boastful claims out in the middle that he’s “the best player in the world” were queried somewhat by Hazlewood.
“I probably see Pujara as the big wicket as far as when I’m bowling,” said Hazlewood when asked if Kohli was a one-man band.
“He’s the one who is the glue who holds them together I think. He’s batted the most balls this series I think and scored nearly the most runs.”
At stumps on day four, India are all-but vanquished at 5-112 after Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon went for the throat after they’d set the tourists a daunting 287-run target on a wild pitch.
Australia’s second-innings’ 243 anchored by Usman Khawaja’s (72) partnership with Paine (37) and a 36-run final-run stand between Starc and Hazlewood.
Paine was at one point picked up by the stump microphone saying to Kohli, “you’re the one that lost it yesterday, that’s why you’re trying to be cool today,” in reference to Kohli’s dummy-spit on day three.
Umpire Chris Gaffaney intervened and scolded both Kohli and Paine to remember their responsibilities: “you’re the captains!” he said.
Paine unsuccessfully tried to argue that the conversation was fine because there was no swearing, before he got in one last quip over Gaffaney’s shoulder, saying: “keep your cool Virat.”
The over finished with Kohli deliberately planting himself at the end of the pitch where he knew Paine was going to complete a single and the Australian captain had to pull himself up on a sixpence to avoid contact.
Paine and Kohli had come from the field on the night of day three going at each other after a last-over slanging match where the Australian skipper labelled the Indian master a “big head.”
When Paine’s stoic match-defining knock of 37 ultimately came to an end thanks to a climbing bouncer from six-wicket star Mohammed Shami, he kept turning back as he walked from the field – suggesting he was copping a royal send-off from Kohli and the Indians.
When Kohli came to the crease as India’s last hope, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Marsh made a hostile guard of honour for him to pass through on the edge of the square before Josh Hazlewood slammed down a first-up bouncer.
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Updates
Australia will go into day five in Perth just five wickets away from a series-levelling victory.
Chasing an improbable 287 on a hellish Perth wicket, India crumbled to be 5-112 at stumps on Monday.
Worst of all, for the tourists, was that big guns Virat Kohli (17), Cheteshwar Pujara (4) and Ajinkya Rahane (30) are already back in the sheds.
Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood both finished the day with a pair of wickets, after Mitchell Starc struck in the opening over of the innings.
Usman Khawaja and Tim Paine combined for a vital partnership, before a Mohammed Shami-inspired collapse after lunch put India briefly back in the contest.
But a valuable 36-run partnership between Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc sapped India and set up a difficult chase.
Tim Paine tells his team "we've got six tonight" indicating he wants another scalp before stumps.
There's a handful of overs left, as Mitchell Starc steams in to bowl.
He brings a leading edge from Rishabh Pant but it sails just wide of Nathan Lyon at point.
That is OUT! Rahane has batted extremely well, but he throws his wicket away in the shadows of stumps…
He goes for 30 from 47.
He'd had an enterprising innings, playing aggressively and with intent. But he bites off more than he could chew here, flashing a hard cut shot at a wider one from Hazlewood.
He smokes it but it goes straight to Travis Head at point and he takes a sharp catch with the sun in his eyes.
Hazlewood has 2-24. India are 5-98 and probably only one wicket away from the tail, if we're honest.
There's 20 minutes of play remaining tonight.
Heard the one about the GOAT and his bunny?
Nathan Lyon has quietly become one of Virat Kohli's least favourite opponents, with the crafty offspinner dismissing the world's top-ranked batsmen a stunning seven times in Test cricket.
It's an incredible record – one that's not been matched.
Across all international formats, only England duo Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann have done so more times, with both having claimed his scalp eight times.
But in Test cricket Lyon stands alone, with Stuart Broad and Anderson both having bested Kohli five times.
Lyon is a freak against India, and is Australia's most prolific wickettaker against them.
Heard the one about the GOAT and his bunny?
Nathan Lyon has quietly become one of Virat Kohli's least favourite opponents, with the crafty offspinner dismissing the world's top-ranked batsmen a stunning seven times in Test cricket.
It's an incredible record – one that's not been matched.
Across all international formats, only England duo Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann have done so more times, with both having claimed his scalp eight times.
But in Test cricket Lyon stands alone, with Stuart Broad and Anderson both having bested Kohli five times.
Lyon is a freak against India, and is Australia's most prolific wickettaker against them.
By Ben Horne
Virat Kohli has been left red-faced after demeaning captain Tim Paine and trying to paint him as the antagonist in an explosive Test match.
Nathan Lyon spun Kohli out to hurtle Australia towards a pulsating series-equalling victory in Perth and once the King had fallen, Paine delivered the most cutting sledge of the series to Indian opener Murali Vijay.
“I know he’s your captain, but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke,” said Paine of Kohli.
Next over, Vijay also folded to Lyon and the scene was set for a Boxing Day blockbuster at the MCG.
The Indian captain was back to his old tricks as he mischievously tattled on Paine to the umpires and at another point changed his line to virtually invite a physical confrontation with his counterpart at the end of the pitch.
It’s understood Kohli tried to bait Paine by boastfully referring to himself as “the best player in the world” and by contrast, mocking the Australian’s standing as a skipper.
There's one hour remaining in today's play – or 18 overs, if Australia somehow burn through them in time – and India have six wickets to defend.
They're 4-64, chasing an unlikely 287.
Can Rahane (16) and Vihari (0) give India something to cheer before stumps?
Mitchell Starc might have something to say about that. He has the ball in his hand.
Nathan Lyon, meanwhile, looks unplayable. He has 2-5 from six overs.
With six scalps left, he's a massive chance of snaring his third 10-wicket Test haul.
Murali Vijay departs for 20 in a 67-ball stay at the crease, and Nathan Lyon is ready to stamp his mark on this Test.
He rips one back through the gate, taking a tickle of an inside edge which clatters into leg stump.
India are in all sorts here. They're 4-55. Rahane and Vihari in the middle, only these two and Rishabh Pant stand between Australia and the worst tail in history.
They have 20 overs to survive. Can they hang on to force a day five?
Who saw this coming? The Tim Paine-Virat Kohli rivalry has exploded this summer, and Paine is not holding back at all.
All wicketkeepers are chatty and Paine has definitely taken several rounds in his verbal sparring with Kohli this Test.
After Lyon dismissed Kohli, putting another nail in this Indian team, Paine dropped the most cutting sledge of the match to Murali Vijay, but directed more at Kohli.
"I know he (Virat) is your captain, but you can't seriously like him as a bloke?" Paine asked Vijay.
