Smith feels heat in ‘brain fade’ drama, Kohli stops short of calling him cheat

The undercurrent of confrontation that exists between the teams whenever India play Australia was dormant this series.

BENGALURU : The undercurrent of confrontation that exists between the teams whenever India play Australia was dormant this series. The usually aggressive Aussies were polite in the build-up, opening up slightly only after the first Test, with David Warner saying they had seen how the No 1 team plays, referring to turning tracks.

The Indians had no option but to keep quiet, having been taken for an unforeseen hiding in Pune. Deep inside, they must have been plotting a comeback and Steve Smith’s unusual attempt to check with the dressing room whether to go for DRS gave them the chance.

There was a minor altercation, but importantly for the Indians, a lot of scope to take a dig at the opponent captain.

(from left) Steve Smith seeks assistance from dressing room; Virat Kohli points out to the umpires; Umpire Nigel Llong tries to pacify the India captain who exchanges words with the Aussie skipper

“I did’t use that word,” said Kohli at the post-match interaction with the media, on asked if he was accusing Smith of cheating. “We’ve been inconsistent with DRS but we take our decisions on the field. We don’t ask for confirmation from the dressing room,” Kohli said.

“I saw it twice while batting. I saw their players look upstairs (dressing room). I told the umpires, this had to stop. I don’t want to mention the word but it falls in that bracket. I would never do something like that on the cricket field,” Kohli added.

Ruled leg-before off Umesh Yadav and having wasted a DRS call involving David Warner, Smith first turned to the non-striker and then towards the dressing room. Umpires stopped him, but by then Kohli had stepped up to say a few words. Rules specify that “signals from the dressing room” are not allowed when it comes to using DRS because the support staff can access replays.

Smith termed it a mistake. “I looked towards the non-striker and then turned around towards the pavilion. I shouldn’t have done that. This happened for the first time. There was a bit of brain fade. Me and Virat had a little chat. It was a bit of banter that happens,” Smith told the media.

Kohli was not buying it. “If it happens more than twice, it’s not brain fade,” he said, seemingly hapy that a psychological point was also scored on the day his team pulled off a heist.
vivekphadnis@newindianexpress.com