New Delhi: Reflecting on the recent on-field incident involving Virat Kohli and Steve Smith during the first Twenty20 International at Adelaide, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has said that it was "probably a personal battle".


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After Smith was caught out at mid-off, Indian vice-captain performed an elaborate sending-off ritual including a gesture with his right hand and mouth, probably showing objection to the on-field analysis the Australian was giving out along with the Channel Nine commentary team.


Ashwin, 29, played down the incident, saying both Kohli and Smith are champion cricketers and both know what they're doing.


"It's probably a personal battle between those two of them," Ashwin said. "I think both of them are very good competitors. They know what they're doing, they don't go down without a fight. It's good to have such competition on the field. Both of them are champion cricketers. I think it just adds to the spice of the game so I don't mind it at all," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.


However, Smith said think the send-off he got from Kohli was "not on".


Speaking to Fox Sports, the Aussie batsman said, "He gets pretty emotional out there, doesn't he? I don't think you need to do that kind of thing when someone gets out."


Earlier in the ODI series, Kohli exchanged words with Australia's allrounder James Faulkner.


"It's fine to have a little bit of banter when you're out in the field, but when someone is out I don't think that's really on," added Smith.


The second match of the three-match T20I series will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.