The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday extended support to the Indian team and its captain Virat Kohli, following controversy over Australia’s slip-up with the Decision Review System during the second Test in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The BCCI has also asked the International Cricket Council to take cognizance of Australian skipper Steve Smith’s “brain fade” comment, made at the post-match press conference.
On Tuesday, after Umesh Yadav dismissed Smith, the Australian was spotted looking towards the dressing room for help while contemplating a DRS referral. Umpire Nigel Llong had intervened and had warned him against seeking assistance.
In a statement, the BCCI said it came to the decision after watching video replays of the episode. “Virat Kohli is a mature and seasoned cricketer, and his conduct on the field has been exemplary,” the board said, adding that the umpire had also supported Kohli on the field and tried to discourage Smith from “taking recourse to inappropriate assistance”. “The BCCI sincerely hopes that the rest of the matches are played in the true spirit of cricket.”
The ICC said it will not take action against either team captain.
On Tuesday, Kohli had stopped short of calling Smith a cheat, claiming he had seen the Australian trying to seek assistance from the dressing room twice before making a decision on DRS referral. “We [India] make sure we don’t cross the line...I don’t want to use the word, but I wouldn’t do something like this on the cricket field,” the Indian captain had said.
The BCCI statement came after Cricket Australia dubbed the cheating allegations “outrageous”. “I find the allegations questioning the integrity of Steve Smith, the Australian team and the dressing room outrageous,” said James Sutherland, CEO of Cricket Australia.
Smith, too, had admitted to looking towards his team in the dressing room for help. “It was a bit of a brain fade on my behalf, and I shouldn’t have done that,” he had said.
India won the second Test against Australia by 75 runs on Tuesday.
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