Twitter Reaction
Indian Fans Left Fuming As Steve Smith Scuffing Rishabh Pant’s Guard Markup
By CricShots - Jan 11, 2021 1:07 pm
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With Indian batsmen showing an immense amount of grit while saving the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), a video of Australia’s Steve Smith scuffing Rishabh Pant’s batting guards during the drinks break in the second session on Day 5 became the talk of the town on social media, leading to fans questioning Smith’s intentions.

steve smith
Steve Smith scuffing at the crease

Rishabh Pant, who has promoted up the order after the Indian team lost skipper Ajinkya Rahane early in the first session, made Australian bowlers toil in the field, with one of the best aggressive innings in recent times. The incident occurred in the middle session when players were having the drinks break. The incident recorded in the stump cam showed former Australian skipper, Steve Smith walking up to the batting crease and doing some shadow batting.

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However, what happened afterward got many people talking on social media as Smith was apparently seen rubbing his shoes over the batting guards marked by India’s wicket-keeper batsman. Here’s the video of the incident which was recorded on stump cam:

Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara stitched a solid partnership of 148 runs for the fourth wicket to give Australia a cause of worry. Pant, after a cautious start, took Australia bowlers, especially Nathan Lyon to the cleaners with his attacking stroke play. After Pant’s departure, Pujara also got out in pretty quick succession after scoring 77 runs off 205 balls.

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In the meantime, Harsha Bhogle, the renowned sports journalist, opined on Pant’s stupendous knock in Sydney. As per the quotes in Cricbuzz, he said, “The century wasn’t to be. But it is easily Pant’s best test innings. You can’t fault him the shot because it was many of those that offered a glimmer of victory when none believed it was possible.”

Here is how the Indian fans reacted:

https://twitter.com/imBirju/status/1348458626759856133?s=20