The England Test captain Ben Stokes opened up regarding his relationship with Virat Kohli, saying that the cricketers can be intense on the field but are good mates in general. Stokes has pointed out that cricketers have before all, mutual respect for each other and being a part of the high-octane competition is part of their job.

Kohli and Stokes are two really pulsating characters in the cricket world and if Kohli has brought excitement and intensity to the Indian Test cricket team while taking over as a captain, Stokes was leading the Test revival. The two cricketers met during the rescheduled 5th Test held in Birmingham. At the time, Kohli was having a go at the England cricketers while Stokes was getting into the flared-up exchanges.

However, after Stokes retired from the ODI format earlier this year, Kohli was among the first to send a message to the England all-rounder. He called him the most competitive bloke he ever faced on the field. Ben Stokes has elaborated on his friendship with Kohli, portraying the intensity with which two cricketers face each other. Ben Stokes has compared his relationship with Kohli to the one that tennis superstars Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios share. Djokovic and Kyrgios have given it all in the Wimbledon finals but the stars have the utmost respect for each other.