Kohli’s claims are complete rubbish: Smith

RANCHI: Australian skipper Steve Smith, on Wednesday, rejected Virat Kohli’s insinuation that he repeatedly cheated while taking DRS calls, saying the claims by his Indian counterpart are “complete rubbish.”

The second Test in Bengaluru ended in controversy after Smith was caught looking toward the dressing room balcony for advice on DRS appeal against his dismissal.

“From my point of view I think they’re completely wrong. I obviously came out after the game and said I made a mistake and it was an error on my behalf, it was a brain fade,” Smith said at the pre-match press conference on the eve of the third Test here.

“In regards to saying we do it consistently, that’s complete rubbish in my opinion. I think he was wrong in his statement,” Smith said of Kohli’s allegations that the Aussie skipper had on previous occasions too resorted to taking dressing room’s help on whether to call for a review.

Speaking to the media earlier, Kohli stressed on moving on but maintained that he did not regret what he had said after the Bengaluru game.

“Not from my point of view. Yeah, it’s about moving on and concentrating on this Test here. It’s been a great series so far, the cricket that’s been played, and hopefully cricket can be the winner out here in the Test match.

“It’s an exciting one, one-all in the series, half way through the series. We’re all excited about this Test and hopefully it can be a good one.”

Nathan Lyon suffered from a split callus on the inside of his right index finger after grabbing eight wickets in the second Test, but Smith said the off-spinner is fit.

“His finger has healed nicely over the last week or so. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the series because of a stress fracture but Smith said they have it in their bowling attack to take 20 wickets.

“Obviously, when you lose someone with the class and calibre of Starc, it’s always difficult. But we’re confident that the rest of the bowling group can do the job to take 20 wickets in this Test.

“I think (Cummins) has got some good variations. Watching him bowl yesterday (Tuesday) he bowled these cutters on the wicket and they were actually ragging (spinning). He’s got some good skills there as well. The extra pace is always nice on there.”

There is also a race between all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell for the number six position left vacant by Marsh, who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli refused to attach any importance to the track but Steve Smith cannot keep his mind off it as the rival captains took a contrarian view on the role the pitch would play in the third Test starting on Thursday.

Kohli felt that the external conditions would determine how the pitch would behave.

“A lot of things like weather go behind how the pitch would behave. In hot and humid conditions, we get reverse swing. It’s not just the wicket but external conditions play a role,” Kohli said on the eve of the third Test. I’ve not seen a cricketer who can predict the outcome after seeing a pitch. I think it’s hard to assess how much it will turn or seam. That’s why it’s said cricket is a complicated sport. You have to always be prepared,” the Indian captain added.

However, Kohli’s Australian counterpart Smith was firm in his belief that another rank-turner was on offer and the Ranchi track would be no different from what they got in Pune and Bengaluru. He thinks it would start “breaking up” from the second day.