Smith Offers His Perspective on the Runout Dispute
Australia’s Steven Smith has shared his views on the controversial runout incident involving Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal during Day 2 of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday. The incident sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many questioning who was to blame for the mishap.
India’s Strong Start Interrupted by Unfortunate Runout
In pursuit of a daunting target of 474 set by Australia, India had steadied the ship after early wickets, thanks to a solid partnership between Kohli and Jaiswal. The pair had lifted India to 51/2, with Kohli displaying calm and confidence, while Jaiswal balanced defense and aggression brilliantly. The Australian bowlers were left scrambling, forcing captain Pat Cummins to adopt a more defensive approach.
However, the promising partnership came to an abrupt end when Jaiswal played a powerful shot straight to Cummins. Jaiswal, eager for a run, immediately took off, but Kohli hesitated as he watched the ball’s trajectory. Cummins, reacting quickly, attempted a throw at the striker’s end but missed, allowing wicketkeeper Alex Carey to collect the ball and dislodge the stumps. Jaiswal was run out, his innings ending prematurely before he could reach a well-deserved century.
Debate on Who Was at Fault
The incident divided fans and experts, with differing opinions on who was responsible for the runout. Former cricketers Irfan Pathan and Sanjay Manjrekar offered contrasting views during the post-day analysis.
Smith’s Take on the Incident
Smith, who was on the field at the time, provided his perspective on the incident. “It looked like Jaiswal called for the run, but Virat sent him back,” he explained. “It was as simple as that. I didn’t see anything more than that. I was running in, quite excited, as it was a good wicket and a great partnership. Then, getting two more wickets made it a huge last hour for us,” Smith said during the post-day press conference.
India’s Collapse After the Runout
Following the end of the 102-run partnership, India’s batting collapse continued. Within 20 minutes, India lost two more wickets. Kohli edged a delivery from Scott Boland to Carey, and nightwatchman Akash Deep was dismissed for a duck, falling to a sharp Boland delivery. Ravindra Jadeja ended the day on a high note by hitting a boundary, leaving India at 164/5, still trailing Australia by 310 runs.
