Australian camp is happy and sure it has reasons to be , as they won the 3rd test by 9 wickets on day the 3rd day. After complaining about the pitches in the first two tests, the Australians had everything going their way. Despite playing some top notch cricket with the bat and ball, the Australians reverted to their age old tactics of subtle under hand tactics. While many did not notice this, former Indian wicketkeeper and batter Parthiv Patel did and he minced no words when calling out Steve Smith.
The story as it happened –
Steve Smith was given the captaincy as Pat Cummins had flown back to Australia to tend to his ailing mother. Smith was the captain when Australia last toured India in 2017 and had lost the series 3-1. The win at Indore was his second test win in India after beating India at Pune in 2017.
Did Steve Smith influence the umpires?
Australian spinners were running the roost as they had the Indian team in a spell. During the course of the 1st innings, Ashwin was given out caught behind, while this seems a regular move, there is more to it that meets the eye. Steve Smith is believed to have used an under hand tactic to gain unfair advantage.
Smith’s tactics come out in the open –
Everytime the Australian wicket keeper Alex Carey whipped off the bails, Steve Smith looked at the umpire and forced him to go up for stumping. As per the law now-a-days, it is mandatory to check for caught behind as well when going up for stumping.
Parthiv Patel lashes out at Smith –
Former India player, Parthiv Patel has come out and lashed at Steve Smith on Cricbuzz. The 37 year old former India player said “Steve Smith is aware of that and he exploited the loophole. The on-field umpire should avoid going to the third umpire if he is sure that it’s not out when there is an appeal for a stumping”
Patel comes up with a solution –
Sensing that Steve Smith could do this again in the final test at Ahmedabad, Parthiv Patel suggested “The ideal solution is that the TV umpire should only review the stumping if the appeal is made only for a stumping. A caught behind should not be checked unless the fielding captain opts for a review,”