Steve Smith’s act was against spirit of the game: Sunil Gavaskar

Smith and partner Peter Handscomb were then caught looking towards the area outside Australia’s dressing room, where television replays can be seen, while discussing whether to review the verdict, prompting umpire Nigel Llong to intervene.

“That was probably our worst batting display in the last two years”.

“Under-the-pump India captain Virat Kohli was left seeing red as tensions escalated further between both sides after another white-knuckle day left the second Test hanging in”. This is a line you don’t cross. I won’t mention the word but it falls into that bracket. “I will never do that”, he added.

Was that word “cheating”, he was asked by an Australian scribe.

“I have seen it twice while batting”.

The incident happened during the ongoing 2nd test match between India and Australia. Kohli replied, “I didn’t say that”.

“They, you know, were just trying to get our captain out like we have been trying to get Virat out”.

Before the Test, Smith had even stated that Australia were only one good session away from reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. You could tell there was a lot of emotion out there, India were desperate for wickets. I sort of said “go” as in “go have a look at it” and he turned around and started walking.

Kohli decribed the victory as the “best one” under his captaincy till date.

Arriving in India on the back of nine straight defeats in Asia, Australia were in control of the contest once they scraped together 260 in the first innings and tasted victory in India for the first time since a 342-run Nagpur victory in 2004. As the tall Aussie quick went back to the top of his bowling mark, he kicked the ground in disgust.

There were an increasing number of verbal exchanges throughout the Test. Smith admiited to there being a “white line fever”, but he felt the match was played “in good spirit”.

“A lot of people were talking about the head of the snake, but I think the snake did pretty well by itself, so it’s not just about one individual”. “I was just trying to enjoy it and laugh at what Kohli was saying. because some of it was quite amusing”.

But the tourists capitulated during their run chase after starting briskly to leave the series perfectly poised heading in to the third Test, of the four-match series, in Ranchi from March 16.