'White-line fever' in the Border-Gavaskar

Pace ace Mitchell Starc has played down any suggestion of an ongoing feud between Virat Kohli and Australia's players, saying the Indian maestro doesn't harbour any ill feelings towards his team's Border-Gavaskar rivals.

Kohli and India are in Brisbane, preparing for Wednesday's opening T20 international ahead of the four-match Domain Test Series starting in Adelaide next month, the first Tests between the two sides since a fiery encounter in the subcontinent last year.

At the end of that most recent series, which India won 2-1, Kohli said his relationship with some Australian players had been permanently damaged.

"No, it has changed," Kohli said at the time when asked if he stood by his pre-series affirmation of a friendly rivalry.

"I thought that was the case, but it has changed for sure.

"The thing I said before the first Test, that has certainly changed and you won't hear me say that ever again."

The fiery right-hander took to Twitter days later to clarify his comments, suggesting they were only aimed at "only a couple of individuals", and Starc says he doesn't believe there is any lingering animosity.

"I don't get that feeling at all," Starc told cricket.com.au when asked if he thought he was one of the players whose relationship with Kohli had been damaged.

"We had some good battles on the field through that series, all in good fun and had a few laughs about it and caught up after one of the Test matches.

"If that's the case, so be it. But I'm sure I'll have a few chats with him over this series and share a laugh and chat about the series once it's done."

Starc played alongside Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League for two seasons and says the Indian star is a different man away from the field of battle.

"I got to know him a fair bit off the field and I think probably know him a bit better than some of my Australian teammates," he said.

"(They) obviously only see them on the cricket field and the general public see what a competitor he is and how much he loves the challenge of performing home and away and to be one of the best players in the world.

"I've got to see a bit off the field, where he's very different. (He's) such a nice guy off the field, he's got a lot of time for everyone and just loves to be part of the boys, whether its playing FIFA or being around the team room.

"I guess in a similar way to perhaps myself and some of the others, there's a bit of white-line fever there when you get on the cricket field and you just want to perform your best for your country."

Before arriving in Australia on Saturday, Kohli insisted he's a changed cricketer and won't be picking fights in Australia this summer.

"If they (Australia) want to play a certain way, we will reciprocate," Kohli told a pre-departure media conference in India.

"We were always the ones giving it back, we were never the ones starting anything.

"So long as it doesn't start, we have no problem just focusing on our game and doing what we need to do."

The Indian skipper acknowledges he's actively chased on-field verbals in the past but, at the age of 30, insists he's mellowed.

"When it comes to getting engaged in an argument on the field, or in a fight as people want to call it excitedly, I have been completely OK playing without an altercation," he said.

"I am very happy within my own space.

"On a personal level, I don't find the need to go and find these things anymore.

"I have enough belief in my ability, I can play without a reason to pump myself up.

"Those were very immature things that I used to feed on in my early days of my career, so that I can get pumped.

"Now, being captain of the team, you literally have no room for anything else but to think of what the team wants all the time."

India Tour of Australia 2018-19

Gillette T20s v India

First T20: November 21, the Gabba

Second T20: November 23, MCG

Third T20: November 25, SCG

Domain Tests v India

First Test: December 6-10, Adelaide Oval

Second Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 3-7, SCG

Gillette ODI Series v India

First ODI: January 12, SCG (D/N)

Second ODI: January 15, Adelaide Oval (D/N)

Third ODI: January 18, MCG (D/N)