What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Debates arise after Jadeja is seen applying ‘something’ to the fingers of his bowling hand’; Indian team management clarifies it is pain relief cream
Ravindra Jadeja capped his return to international action, following knee surgery, with a five-wicket haul. The left-arm spinner’s performance with the ball helped India bowl out Australia for 177 on the opening day of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur on February 9.
While Jadeja was undoubtedly the talk of Day 1, more than his underappreciated genius, it was an ‘interesting’ moment involving the all-rounder that shrouded the day.
During the TV broadcast, Jadeja appeared to take something off teammate Mohammad Siraj’s hands with his right hand. He then appeared, rubbing the substance on the index finger of his left hand – his bowling arm. However, at no point did the TV footage show Jadeja rubbing anything on the ball, though he was holding it.
When footage of the moment was shared on Twitter, former Australian skipper Tim Paine replied, “Interesting”, bringing attention to the issue.
Former England batsman Michael Vaughan also took to Twitter to convey his suspicions about the situation. “What is it he is putting on his spinning finger? Never seen this,” England great Michael Vaughan wrote in a tweet.
It is learned that, after the match, Jadeja, along with skipper Rohit Sharma and team manager, visited match referee Andy Pyrcroft. The Indian team management told Pycroft that Jadeja applied cream pain relief cream. No charges have been raised against Jadeja, nor did the Australian team bring the matter to Pycroft’s attention.
The incident occurred when Jadeja came in for his 16th over with Alex Carey and Peter Handscomb at the crease and the Aussies at 5/120.
By then, Jadeja, who finished the day with 5/47, had broken the 82-run third wicket stand between Marnus Labuschagne and former Australian skipper Steve Smith. He also removed Matt Renshaw.
Handscomb and Carey added 53 runs for the sixth wicket, but that was not enough to save the day as both Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin dominated on a spin-friendly wicket.
Offie Ashwin, against whom Australia had done quite a bit of homework, took three wickets as India bowled out their rivals for 177.
Labuschagne (49, 123b, 8×4), Smith (37, 107b, 7×4), Carey (36, 33b, 7×4) and Handscomb (31, 84b 4×4) were the only Aussie batters who managed to reach double figures.
India ended the day at 77 for the loss of opener KL Rahul (20, 71b, 1×4). Skipper Rohit Sharma led the charge with an unbeaten (56*, 69b, 9×4, 1×6) while Ashwin (0*, 5b) held down the fort at the other end.
BRIEF SCORE: Australia 177 (Marnus Labuschagne 49, Steve Smith 37, Alex Carey 36, Peter Handscomb 31; Ravindra Jadeja 5/47, R Ashwin 3/42) vs India 77/1 (Rohit Sharma 56*; Todd Murphy 1/13)
