AUSTRALIA’S Test series in India heated up to melting point throughout the second match in Bangalore with Indian skipper Virat Kohli suggesting the Aussies cheated after a controversial slip-up from Steve Smith.
The Aussie captain appeared to confer with his team sitting in the dressing rooms to see if he should make a DRS review, but that wasn’t the only thing that had the Indians fired up.
Kohli yelled expletives at Aussie batsmen throughout the fiery match before India levelled the series, a performance that led Aussie great Ian Healy to admit he’d “lost respect” for the 28-year-old who was obviously cracking under the pressure of losing the first Test.
To be fair, the series was always going to heat up at some point or another, and Australia’s huge win in the first Test in Pune would have only fuelled the fire in India’s hearts — but even the Baggy Green unit were surprised at how quick the home side put the foot on the gas during the second Test.
“They’re always aggressive,” wicketkeeper Matthew Wade said, as reported by cricket.com.au.
“The change from the first Test to the second Test was probably the initial shock. They certainly came out a little harder on day three, but we expect them to come hard.”
“When you’ve got a caged lion you expect them to come out pretty hard, to get away. Indian teams are always quite aggressive.
“Dhoni was a different captain to Kohli, but that’s just personality.”
Aussie vice-captain David Warner said Kohli’s brash attitude throughout the second Test got out of hand.
“I’d be pretty upset if one of our players or staff did that,” Warner admitted. “There’s going to be a lot of niggles here and there around certain things, and I think just a few people got out of hand.
“Everyone has reined it back in again and … hopefully, both teams will come out and play within the spirit of cricket.”
In terms of fighting against the tirade of sledges from the fiery home side, the Aussie vice-captain says a gentle approach is needed.
“They came out and said they don’t sledge — I think it’s just banter,” Warner quipped.
“I don’t need to respond.
“I’ll just sit back and watch and just laugh … you don’t take much notice of it.
“Everyone’s talking … when you have four or five men around the bat constantly, you’ll hear some kind of stuff. Half the time, I don’t even understand.”
Australia faces a fresh new struggle going into the third Test after strike bowler Mitchell Starc was sent home with stress fractures in his foot. His absence from the side gives youngster Pat Cummins, who debuted in the Baggy Green at 18 years of age, an opportunity to make an impression on selectors looking for a third paceman to tackle England in the Ashes later in the year.
Cummins was named player of the match in his test debut against South Africa at the Wanderers in November 2011, claiming match figures of 7-117. But he has not played a test since due to stress fractures in his back.
Cummins returned to Sheffield Shield domestic cricket for the first time since March 2011 this week, when he played for New South Wales in its win over South Australia. He bowled with pace and accuracy to take 8-104 and also contributed 42 with the bat.
The four-test series in India is level at 1-1 ahead of the start of the third test next Thursday at Ranchi.
Online Source: www.news.com.au
