India and Australia are currently playing a test series. Just like everytime, this series too brought with it a few dramas. Heading into the final test of the series, let’s savour the best drama moments from India vs Asutralia.
1) The Monkeygate saga
Though Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds have now turned into good friends, one time the two brought about the biggest drama in cricket history.
It was the Sydney Test in the 2008 series, when Harbhajan had an exchange with Symonds on day three of the Test, during which he allegedly called Symonds a “monkey”. He was handed a three-match ban, which was later overturned on appeal.
There was a jury decided to hear the case and even Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was invited over as witness to the case. Symonds till date feels sad about the situation and feel Bhajji should have been banned. Ponting feels Symonds’ career ended because of that saga.
All said and done, it would go down as the biggest drama in the India-Australia series.
2) The Smith brain-fade moment
Australia were tottering trying to chase a stiff target in the fourth innings of the test. After the dismissal of Warner, Steve Smith was the key figure.
Umesh Yadav bowled one that kept low and caught Smith on the pads in front of the wickets. The umpire raised his finger but given the price on the wicket, Smith was half a mind to take the risk and review it. In the moment, Smith cheekily tried to look at the dressing room to check if he should go for it.
Indians were obviously agitated with it and complained to the umpire who then came to the rescue.
Although Smith later apologized calling it a brain-fade, Kohli and other panelists were highly critical of the Aussie captain and labeled him a “cheat”.
3) The Watson-Gambhir tussle
It was Day one of the 3rd test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy of 2008 being played at Kotla. Gambhir and Watson were involved in an altercation. Gambhir while running had his elbow find Watson’s stomach. Although the Delhi opener claimed it to be accidental, wasn’t to be and the two were charged with “spirit of the game” offences.
Chris Broad, the match referee, charged Gambhir with Level 2 offence for not conducting play “within the spirit of the game as well as within the laws of cricket”. Watson faced a Level 1 charge under the same section.
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4) The Zak-Ponting bust up
Ricky Ponting ran into trouble after furious bust-up with India’s Zaheer Khan on the opening day of the first Test at Mohali in 2010.
Ponting reacted angrily to words from Zaheer Khan, who was mocking the Aussie skipper after being run out for 71, turning to point his bat at the Indian team before umpire Billy Bowden stepped in to halt the row.
5) Ishant mocking Steve Smith
In the morning session of Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia being underway in Bengaluru, Ishant Sharma was bowling his heart out in hope of giving India some quick wickets. In his efforts to rile up the Australian captain Steve Smith, the pacer was relying on bowling a tight line and length but when it came to nothing, he decided to employ an unconventional method.
It was the 26th over of the Australian innings and Smith was defying Indian bowlers. With Matt Renshaw and Smith successfully staving off every attack, Ishant decided to unsettle Smith by making weird faces to the Australian captain. Not the one to back down, Smith responded with a funny expression of his own. Virat too had a smile on his face after the incident.
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