Virender Sehwag has taken a sly dig at Virat Kohli after his heated exchange with Jonny Bairstow inspired a stunning counter-attack from the England star.

Virat Kohli, on Sunday (July 2), got a taste of his own medicine when his aggressive words inspired Jonny Bairstow to go all out against India in the ongoing Test at Edgbaston. On numerous occasion in the past, it was Kohli who played some memorable knock after being sledged by the opposition players.

However, he found himself at the receiving end on day three of the Test when a furious exchange with Bairstow inspired the England batsman to play a whirlwind knock. The incident took place in the 32nd over when Bairstow was struggling to play his natural attacking game.

Watch: Virat Kohli Playfully Punches Jonny Bairstow After Heated Exchange

Before Mohammed Shami began that over, Bairstow had managed to score only 13 runs off 60 balls. Kohli then decided to have a go at Bairstow before the latter used the words from the India star as inspiration for yet another memorable knock.

After scoring 13 off 60 balls, he scored 37 in the next 21 balls to complete his fifty. Bairstow continued to play the big shots and hit the Indian bowlers all around the park. He completed his next fifty off just 38 balls to reach his century off 119 balls. Bairstow was finally dismissed by Shami for 106. His stunning knock was studded with 14 fours and a couple of sixes.

Virender Sehwag reacts to the Kohli-Bairstow incident:

With Bairstow shifting gears following the heated exchange with Kohli, Virender Sehwag did not shy away from expressing his disappointment over his former teammate’s sledging.

Sehwag took to Twitter to state that Kohli’s ‘needless’ sledging transformed Bairstow to Rishabh Pant from Cheteshwar Pujara, tweeting:

“Jonny Bairstow’s Strike Rate before Kohli’s Sledging -: 21
 Post Sledging – 150

Pujara ki tarah khel rahe thhey, Kohli ne Pant banwa diya bewajah sledge karke (He was playing like Pujara, Kohli made him Pant with his needless sledging).”

Jonny Bairstow’s Strike Rate before Kohli’s Sledging -: 21
Post Sledging – 150

Pujara ki tarah khel rahe thhey, Kohli ne Pant banwa diya bewajah sledge karke #IndvsEng

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 3, 2022