Only the extremely naïve would expect an India-Australia Test series to be an example of sportsmanship. However, as the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has progressed, the banter between the two teams has become progressively bitter. In this Test itself, there was a stink raised after none of the India fielders applauded Steve Smith’s century on the first day and when Virat Kohli applauded Australia’s failed Decision Review System attempts from the dressing room.
Aussies lose both their reviews and then VIRAT KOHLI comes out of the dressing room with a smile on his face and starts clapping!😂#IndvAus pic.twitter.com/T5qg3qDa30
— Prajakta Bhawsar (@Virats_Fangirl) March 18, 2017
The latest on the series of unsavoury incidents is Glenn Maxwell mockingly imitating Virat Kohli’s shoulder injury which the Indian captain sustained while trying to save a boundary on the first day of the Ranchi Test. Kohli banged his shoulder while attempting a drive and went off the field clutching his shoulder in pain. He was off the field for almost two days due to the injury, but he did come in to bat on the third day, with a heavy bandage.
While Kohli was on crease, Maxwell put in a superb drive to save a boundary off Pujara’s batting. The Aussie centurion then held his own shoulder with a grin, indicating that his shoulder was all right.
Glenn Maxwell, such a sport? #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/xuMu076N3w
— TheField (@thefield_in) March 18, 2017
While several people saw Maxwell’s actions as “taking the mickey”...
Image 1: Virat Kohli on day one
— FOX SPORTS Cricket (@FOXCricketLive) March 18, 2017
Image 2: Glenn Maxwell taking the mickey on day three https://t.co/6PZpc6Lzji #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/d583Y7NNpq
So Kohli was aggressive and Maxwell was rude according to Indian fan theory. #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/aJ2H6kpxNd
— SocialChidiya (@raita_wala) March 18, 2017
Kohli: caught Smith, lolled Maxwell, 6.#IndvAus
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 18, 2017
... The ‘mocking’ didn’t go down too well with many cricket fans on Twitter, especially in India:
It might be funny but its highly immature from Maxwell and Smith to make fun of Kohli's injury #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/BcOss8oYCf
— Shubh AggarWall (@shubh_chintak) March 18, 2017
Mocking injury. Just Aussie things. #IndvAus https://t.co/S9XopQHUn3
— cricBC (@cricBC) March 18, 2017
Poor behavior by Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith mocking Virat Kohli's shoulder injury. Very poor. Disappointing. #IndvsAus
— akarshsharma.com (@Akarsh_Official) March 18, 2017
I had lost my respect for Smith way back long.. But, I lost my respect for Maxwell as well, today.
— Prajakta Bhawsar (@Virats_Fangirl) March 18, 2017
Cheap Antics All over! #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/XfH6LqVXLk
Glenn Maxwell teases the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/2zxO72WAuz
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 18, 2017
There were callbacks to when Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan had similarly mocked Shane Watson’s injury...
Yes he is. All this banter on field is OK? Besides, don't forget what two Indian left hand batsmen did to Watson. So all is fine here. https://t.co/sKiVtaV8C6
— Pulkit (@pulkit_singhai) March 18, 2017
...And how the captain MS Dhoni had dealt with them
What Dhoni did when Raina and Shikhar Dhawan mocked Watson's injury. Can Smith do the same? (Video Credit @StarSportsIndia & @BCCI) pic.twitter.com/TKDREwUp6g
— ️Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) March 18, 2017
In conclusion, maybe, we could just laugh it off?
Glen Maxwell mocking Virat Kohli. This is not the first time he has copied an Indian great. #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/njxezrJlbg
— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) March 18, 2017
Confirmation that the trophy is to be renamed the "Shoulder-Gavaskar trophy".
— Fake Mitch Johnson (@NotMitchJohnson) March 18, 2017