Mitchell Starc regards Virat Kohli as a fantastic captain from first-hand experience, while Indian coach Ravi Shastri has described his emotive skipper as "an absolute gentleman".

Kohli's conduct was always going to be a talking point throughout the four-match Domain Test Series, level at 1-1 after topsy-turvy contests in Adelaide and Perth.

Kohli was a near-constant presence in the headlines during the second Test. He barely acknowledged the crowd after a tremendous century, swapped barbs with Tim Paine and shook his counterpart's hand in perfunctory fashion.

Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson accused the superstar of being "disrespectful", while Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar was highly critical of Kolhi's captaincy.

Starc, who previously shared a dressing room with Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Kohli during the Indian Premier League, has nothing but respect for the combative batsman.

"I've played a couple of IPLs with Virat and he's been fantastic to play under, as a captain," Starc told reporters.

"Obviously, he's a fantastic player. The way India play this series and go about their cricket, it's up to them."

Kohli took over captaincy of the Royal Challengers Bangalore midway through the 2012 season from New Zealander Dan Vettori.

RCB finished fifth that season and have failed to reach the playoffs in four of the six seasons that Kohli has been the club's full-time captain.

They were beaten in the final in 2016, finished third in 2015, and dead last in 2017. It has seen the club earn a reputation as perennial underachievers despite boasting a squad featuring superstars Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Starc alongside the India captain.

India head coach Ravi Shastri bristled when the topic of Kohli's behaviour was raised in his media appearance.

"Fantastic – why, what's wrong with his behaviour?" Shastri said.

"People can question; as far as we're concerned, he's an absolute gentleman."

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden suggested Kohli was more Australian than Indian in many ways.

"He plays the game in a very-competitive spirit. He is very animated; very passionate; very emotional," Hayden told the Mumbai Mirror.

"A lot of Australians at all levels of sport play the game like that.

"As long as there is a line, and I don't think Virat has crossed that ... everything has remained on the field."

Shastri also had no issue with local broadcasters highlighting a heated exchange between teammates Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in Perth.