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.
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.
ALSO READ: Ravindra Jadeja To Miss Two Test Matches Against England As Well?
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:
Australia's Steve Smith shadow-batted as he came to the crease after the drinks break, and proceeded to remove Rishabh Pant's guard marks.
#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/YrXrh3UlKl
— Manoj Singh Negi (@Manoj__negi) January 11, 2021
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.
ALSO READ: Cheteshwar Pujara Becomes 11th Indian Batsman To Score 6000 Runs
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:
Childish, petulant. Call it what you like, it was totally unnecessary and unsporting. Try and imagine telling your grandkids three decades later how you won a match because you managed to irritate an Indian batsman by erasing his guard. Doesn't sound that good, does it?
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 11, 2021
Not every cheat is mentioned in ICC rules
So here I am : #SteveSmith
— Sharique (@Jerseyno_93) January 11, 2021
As per ICC rules Steven Smith likely to get a warning for doing shadow batting and trying to disturb Rishabh Pant's batting stance.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 11, 2021
Australia's Steve Smith shadow-batted as he came to the crease after the drinks break, and proceeded to remove Rishabh Pant's guard marks.
#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/YrXrh3UlKl
— Manoj Singh Negi (@Manoj__negi) January 11, 2021
@virendersehwag isn’t this cheating? Steve Smith removing them guard marks of Pant in drinks break? What else was he doing to the pitch? pic.twitter.com/hUw6d5KavN
— iMBirju (@imBirju) January 11, 2021
Saw *that* video of Steve Smith scuffing Rishab's guard.
Quite hard on Smith.
No Bancroft to hide the spikes inside his pants.— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) January 11, 2021
Steve Smith might have erased Pant's guard mark but he already made mark for himself with a sensational innings 🔥
— Bobgally (@Krishnan_Masi) January 11, 2021
Think it's only fair the next time Steve Smith is batting, Pant & co get a little chatty about how important Sandpapers were in their house renovation.
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) January 11, 2021
