During the second India vs Australia test at Delhi, a humorous moment occurred between rivals Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. While bowling to Labuschagne, Ravichandran Ashwin used a classic intimidation tactic of halting his run-up to check if Steve Smith was leaving his crease.
The move successfully forced Smith to pause his movements to avoid being run out at the non-striker’s end, which can rattle a player’s focus. However, in this instance, the tactic turned into a moment of humor as all three players – Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne – burst into laughter.
Ashwin and Labuschagne took it a step further and engaged in some playacting that saw Ashwin pulling out of his run-up, while Labuschagne was crouching low for a sweep or a reverse. Marnus had a big smile on his face, and Smith was relieved that Ashwin was not trying to run him out.
This incident was a welcome respite from the usual intensity that accompanies a test match between India and Australia. Despite the fierce rivalry, moments like these show that sportsmanship and humor can be found even in the most intense of matches.
The Indian Team required only 115 runs to win this match and take a 2-0 lead in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ravindra Jadeja 7 wickets in the second innings of Australian batting.
