SMITH SLAMMED
If @stevesmith49 is so naive that he didn’t know what to do then should he be leading. Is Steve Smith good example of leadership. @ BCCI .... Anurag Thakur a@ianuragthakur
Its not a Dressing Room Review System mate ,we don’t usually answer our Test papers peeking Into the next man’s answer sheet #justsaying Shishir Hattangadi @shishhattangadi
Interesting to see how fans & mediapersons would react if the opposition did it. For eg: if Kohli had done a Smith! Bit different,you think? Harsha Bhogle a@bhogleharsha
Australia captain Steve Smith faced calls for disciplinary action on Wednesday after a row over alleged cheating overshadowed the second Test against India, with his predecessor Michael Clarke accusing him of “unacceptable” behaviour. India’s dramatic, 75-run victory on Tuesday in Bangalore, after Australia crashed to 112 all out, has left the four-match series between the world’s top two sides tantalisingly poised at 1-1. But Wednesday’s headlines were dominated by Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s accusation that Smith abused the decision review system (DRS), after he was seen looking to the Australian dressingroom while considering appealing against his dismissal for lbw. The game’s rules forbid players to consult with anyone off the pitch about whether to seek a review from the umpires, particularly as support staff have access to television replays in the dressing-room. At the post-match press conference, Smith — who was quickly waved off the field by the umpire — admitted he had been at fault, but put it down to a one-off “brain fade”. But an angry Kohli said it wasn’t an isolated incident and “that it’s been happening for the last three days, and it has to stop”. Although Kohli stopped short of accusing Smith of being a cheat, Indian newspapers were less diplomatic. “Smith Caught Cheating,” an Indian Express headline said. Smith’s explanation was met with widespread sceptism with even Clarke doubting whether it was a one-off, given the non-striker Peter Handscomb seemed to suggest he consult the dressing-room. “If what Virat Kohli is saying is true and Australia are using their support staff to help them decide on a DRS decision then that’s not on, that’s unacceptable,” Clarke told the India Today network. “I think Steve Smith respects the game and will always uphold the integrity of the game and if it is just a one-off then it is a brain-fade and he’s made a mistake. My concern, my worry is, that when you look at the footage at what happened, Peter Handscomb... actually suggests to Steve Smith to turn around and have a look to the support staff. Now if it is only a one-off, I don’t think that would have happened.” To make matter worse, Handscomb admitted his fault in suggesting skipper Steve Smith to seek inputs from the dressing room after being adjudged leg-before off Umesh Yadav on the fourth day of the second Test, which India won by 75 runs. Smith’s action did not go down well with rival captain Virat Kohli, who said that he would “never do something like that on cricket field.” The record-breaking Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar said the ICC should punish Smith for a “quite blatant” breach of the rules. Another Indian VVS Laxman, tweeted that the Australian’s actions were “totally against the spirit of the game” and the former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said officials must ensure there was no repeat. —