Australia’s assistant coach David Saker, on Thusday, hit back at India captain Virat Kohli’s claims of the visitors trying to bend the rules during the Bengaluru Test, which the hosts won by 75 runs to level the series 1-1. Saker called the Indian skipper’s allegations against Australia about their Decision Review System referrals as “offensive”.

Kohli had stopped short of calling the Australians cheats, and went on to say that he had seen Steve Smith’s men looking at the dressing room for directions with the DRS twice when the former was at the crease. Saker confirmed that the visitors did not have a sign system to direct players on the field.

Advertisement

“It’s pretty much absurd I think, when Steven Smith did look up [to the team balcony after being given out lbw]. We were more horrified than anyone else because we’d never seen that before,” Saker told cricket.com.au. “We haven’t got any elaborate sign system and when he did do that it was quite a surprise to us. To be fair, if we have got this sign system then we got it wrong quite horribly, twice, with [David] Warner and [Shaun] Marsh,” he added.

The former pacer also slammed Kohli’s comments, calling his observations baseless. “It’s really offensive,” Saker said. “Probably the worst thing you can be called is cheats, that’s an offensive thing. We’ve never done anything like that and we never will. You should have to back up what you say.

Saker, however, said that Australia still respect Kohli as a player. “He’s an amazing player and his passion and the way he wanted to get his team up was quite evident out on the ground. There are times when you think he might have crossed the line, but a lot of teams have done that, and leaders have done that.”

Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India were embroiled in a mud-slinging match on Wednesday over the allegations. The BCCI even urged the lnternational Cricket Council to take cognizance of Smith’s “brain fade” comment during his post-match press conference.