 "Watch: Virat Kohli mocks Australian fans with sandpaper gesture after Steve Smith's dismissal in Sydney Test")
Senior India batter Virat Kohli was seen teasing Australians with a gesture seemingly relating to the infamous Sandpapergate scandal after Steve Smith was dismissed ahead of lunch on Day three of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on Sunday. Australia, looking to chase down 162 on Sunday, lost Smith after he was caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully off Prasidh Krishna’s delivery.
Virat Kohli mocks Aussies with sandpaper gesture
Smith needed one more run to complete 10,000 runs in Test cricket but for now, his tally in the longest format will remain at 9999 runs. Kohli, often known for his animated gestures during matches, mocked the Aussies by turning himself to the crowd and displaying his empty pockets.
Steve Smith, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned by Cricket Australia after the trio were accused of using sandpaper to alter during the condition of the ball during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. Some fans also accused India of doing something on similar lines after videos of a small cloth coming out of a player’s shoes went viral during Day 2 of the fifth Test. Some fans even claimed that the player in question hid sandpaper inside his shoe.
"What is that about?"#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/HwNZXhKW1S
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2025
India currently trail Australia 1-2 in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series. The visitors were dealt with a significant blow on Saturday after Jasprit Bumrah walked off the field to undergo scans. It was later revealed that Bumrah sustained back spasms and as a result, he did not take the field on Sunday.
Bumrah was leading India in Rohit Sharma’s absence, who opted out of this match. In Bumrah’s absence, Virat Kohli has reportedly taken over as India skipper for the final stages of the fifth Test.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIndia won the first Test in Perth by 295 runs but went down to the Aussies in the second Test in Adelaide. The third Test in Brisbane ended in a draw whereas Australia won the fourth Test in Melbourne by 184 runs . At the time of writing this report, Australia, chasing 162, were 125/4 with Travis Head and Beau Webster in the middle.
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