Why Virat Kohli clarified his 'won't be friends with Australians' statement

So it's that time of the year when cricketers around the world turn Christian and seek each others' forgiveness. When cricket bonhomie blooms the world over. It's raining apologies among past and present cricketers, particularly interesting is the one coming out of the battle hardened players of India and Australia.

The one connecting link between each of them being they will all have a role to play in the upcoming IPL season.

Brad Hodge, Australia's spunky old bat who retired a few seasons ago, has taken to Twitter to apologise to Virat Kohli for questioning his integrity when he threw up a question on whether his decision to opt out of the Dharamshala test could have been aimed at keeping himself fit for IPL. Hodge coaches Gujarat Lions in the IPL and perhaps thinks not saying sorry may be construed as a cardinal sin.

Australian skipper Steve Smith's apology for "letting his emotions slip during the series" does not come across as cosmetic and forced. Never the less, it did the trick and he avoided a date with the match referee for hurling out an expletive caught on camera when Murali Vijay claimed a questionable catch.

India's talisman Kohli, who has riled Australia so much that he appears their no.1 villain, also joins the bandwagon by issuing a clarification. Kohli too took to social media to dilute his "won't be friends with Australians" statement by turning to the oft used "blown out of proportion" paraphrasing.

One does wonder if all this IPL bonhomie is for real and if some cricketers feel suffocated living this feeling. Ajinkya Rahane, who turned down Smith's beer after the game offer while in India, will now join forces with the Australian skipper for Rising Pune Supergiants. MS Dhoni who was unceremoniously dropped as skipper by his franchise for Steve Smith will work under him.

In a professional sporting world such amalgamation of emotions is commonplace. But a little more sincere talk would do no one any harm.

But then again, the IPL had even brought Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds together in the same dressing room. This after Harbhajan's alleged racial slur had nearly turned into a diplomatic row.

With sealed lips, masked emotions let's sound the IPL bugle!

Also read: How IPL should have changed Indian cricket (and what really happened)