Marcus Stoinis and Virat Kohli will be friends reunited when Australia face India at World Cup

When Australia face India in this World Cup’s first heavyweight contest, two of the fiercest competitors on show will know plenty about each other. Marcus Stoinis and Virat Kohli go way back.

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Marcus Stoinis has revealed a secret friendship with Virat Kohli that dates back to their teenage years, describing the Indian captain as a “great bloke” who enjoys deep conversations and playing video games.

Stoinis comes face-to-face with Kohli, his Indian Premier League teammate, on Sunday night when Australia plays India in the World Cup’s first heavyweight match.

Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis have a long held friendship off the field. Picture. Phil Hillyard

They met through mutual friend Shreyans Jain, who grew up with Kohli in India before relocating to attend Perth’s Hale High school with Stoinis.

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When Kohli visited Australia on tours such as with India’s under-19s the trio would train at Revo Sports’ cricket nets together.

Stoinis and Kohli are set to meet with World Cup points at stake.

“You could tell (Kohli) was a jet at that stage,” Stoinis told the Herald Sun.

“He’s a great bloke. Mate, anyone that has a bad word to say about him doesn’t actually know him.”

Revo Sports is run by Noddy Holder, who is Stoinis’s batting coach and used to mentor Justin Langer.

Kohli suddenly stands between Australia and a 3-0 start to the World Cup as the defending champions hunt their sixth trophy.

Stoinis said Kohli’s on-field antics were misconstrued.

“What some people would call aggression, or that attitude on the field, it is more the fact he brings energy to the contest,” Stoinis said.

“You’ll see him with a lot of passion, you’ll see him screaming and shouting, but he’ll never swear at a player, he never really sledges a player, he never really actually says anything to a player.

Kohli will be the one scalp Stoinis and all the other Australian bowlers will cherish most.

“But he’s happy to go and scream in their face. He’s done it to me heaps of times.”

Test captain Tim Paine famously sledged Kohli last summer, when he said to Indian batsman Murali Vijay: “I know he is your captain, but you can’t possibly like him as a bloke”.

Stoinis said that was “good banter” and that he would probably have done the same.

“But if I was speaking honestly, well, when you get to know him as a person he’s a really grounded individual,” Stoinis said.

“It’s just his passion for the contest and bringing energy to his team. That’s something that I know that he personally wants to leave that as a legacy on Indian cricket.

“To show you can compete in every situation and to bring energy to every situation.

“Everyone feels tired in the field in day four of a Shield game or a Test match, or in situations like big partnerships.

“He sees his role as someone that can break that cycle and can show he’s up for a contest in tough situations.”

But what does King Kohli the newlywed do for fun?

“He enjoys chilling out playing FIFA, or just talking,” Stoinis said.

“He enjoys a deep and meaningful conversation about different things. He enjoys learning and getting to know people. But he doesn’t have much time off — he’s a sought-after man in India.”