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Tag: sledge
Steve Smith burns Shubman Gill after sledge backfires brutally in fifth Test
Shubman Gill’s decision to sledge Steve Smith immediately backfired on the opening day of the fifth cricket Test, with the Indian batter suffering a brain explosion to throw away his wicket. India were 2-57 on the stroke of lunch at the SCG on Friday, with Gill and Virat Kohli rebuilding from 2-17.
Pat Cummins brought on Nathan Lyon just before the break, and Gill wanted to make sure it was the last over before lunch. The Indian batter was taking his time before Lyon bowled the final ball, which prompted the Aussie players to say something.
Steve Smith stuck the boot in after Shubman Gill’s dismissal. Image: Fox Cricket Gill then had a brain explosion and danced down the wicket, but only managed to edge the ball straight to Smith at slip. Smith pointed at Gill and appeared to give him a spray after taking the catch, and he explained why during the lunch break.
Speaking to Fox Cricket he said: “Shubman was trying to take his time there and it probably played into out hands. He actually said something to me that I take my time or something. He decided to run at the last one and I think he was trying to launch him.”
India went to lunch at 3-57 instead after a morning of drama and controversy. Rohit Sharma was left out of India’s XI, with stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah saying the normal captain had made the decision to stand down due to a horrible run with the bat.
Bumrah opted to bat first after winning the toss, and the tourists lost KL Rahul (4) and Yashavi Jaiswal (10) early. Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Lyon took the wickets, while Beau Webster took the catch to dismiss Jaiswal on Test debut.
Nathan Lyon and the Aussies celebrate the dismissal of Shubman Gill. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Steve Smith convinced Virat Kohli should have been out
The Aussies and the majority of the cricket world thought they should have had Kohli first ball, after Smith attempted to take a low catch at slip but bobbled the ball to Marnus Labuschagne instead. After a lengthy review, third umpire Joel Wilson declared the ball touched a blade of grass and because Smith wasn’t in full control, it wasn’t out.
Smith stated in his on-field interview that he “100 per cent” kept the ball off the ground and believed it should have been out. And the majority agreed, with Ricky Ponting saying on Channel 7: “You can see his fingers clearly underneath the ball. And then Joel said that it rolled out the side and touched the ground. But as far as I was concerned, if it had have come out of his hand he wouldn’t have been able to scoop it up. The ball would have rolled away to the side if the ball came out of his hand. I think he still had control of the ball, even though the ball had touched the grass.”
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But former India coach Ravi Shastri was less convinced, saying on Fox Cricket: “I think the right decision in the end because there was an element of doubt. When you see it that many times on the replay and you’re not convinced, it invariably goes in favour of the batsman. If there is a split of the fingers, the chances of the ball touching the grass is much more.”
Thankfully for Australia it only cost them 17 runs. Kohli edged to Webster off the bowling of Scott Boland shortly after lunch, with the debutant taking a brilliant diving catch at slip.
In a dramatic turn of events during the fifth Test match between Australia and India, Steve Smith delivered a brutal burn to Shubman Gill after a sledge backfired on him.It all started when Gill was batting and Smith, known for his chirping on the field, attempted to get under the young batsman’s skin with a sly comment. However, instead of being rattled, Gill remained composed and focused on his game.
As fate would have it, Smith’s own batting performance soon crumbled under pressure, and he was dismissed cheaply by the Indian bowlers. Seizing the opportunity, Gill wasted no time in firing back at Smith with a scathing remark that left the Australian cricketer stunned.
The moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans and cricket enthusiasts applauding Gill for his quick wit and composure in the face of Smith’s mind games.
This incident serves as a reminder that in the high-pressure world of professional sports, mental toughness and resilience are just as important as physical skill. And in this case, it was Shubman Gill who emerged victorious, both on and off the field.
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- Steve Smith
- Shubman Gill
- Test cricket
- Sledge
- Burn
- Cricket rivalry
- Australia vs India
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Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter in ‘terrible’ twist as Novak Djokovic sledge burns Nick Kyrgios
Katie Boulter has admitted it will be “terrible” cheering against fiance Alex de Minaur after handing Australia a huge boost in the United Cup on Monday night. And Nick Kyrgios made a successful return to tennis alongside Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International.
Boulter’s Great Britain team defeated Argentina 2-1, handing her fiance and the Aussies a big chance to make the quarter-finals. Boulter and Charles Broom sealed victory for Team GB with a 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 win over Maria Carle and Tomas Etcheverry in the mixed doubles at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
Katie Boulter handed Alex de Minaur a huge boost at the United Cup, while Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios won their doubles opener. Image: Getty/Channel 9 Boulter had earlier won the women’s singles rubber with a 6-2 6-3 win against Nadia Podoroska, and continued her impressive form in the doubles. It means Australia can still progress to the quarters after their loss to Argentina in the opening tie.
De Minaur and the Aussies would need to beat his fiancee’s GB team on Wednesday to progress to the knockout stage. “We did them (Australia) a favour today giving them a 2-1 win, so they can thank us later for that,” Boulter said. “We’ve got everything to play for. I’m going to come in all blazing.”
Katie Boulter and Charles Broom celebrate their victory at the United Cup. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images) Boulter is unlikely to come face-to-face with de Minaur in the mixed doubles on Wednesday, with Matt Ebden and Ellen Perez the likely picks for Australia. And she admitted it won’t be easy cheering for her teammates to beat her fiance.
“I don’t know about having a little match against him,” Boulter said. “I think that’s going to be terrible and a bit of a popcorn match.” It marks the second year in a row that Boulter and de Minaur have clashed on rival teams in the United Cup. And it comes after the superstar couple announced their engagement earlier this month after four years together.
Novak Djokovic’s cheeky sledge for Nick Kyrgios
Meanwhile, Kyrgios teamed up with Djokovic to beat Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 10-8 in the doubles in Brisbane on Monday night. Kyrgios didn’t show any signs of rust while playing just his second tour-level match in two-and-a-half years, producing a strong serving display and moving freely.
Djokovic was full of praise for Kyrgios, but burned his Aussie friend with a cheeky sledge during their on-court interview. When Kyrgios said he was trying to be as “professional” as possible, Djokovic cracked back: “The highlight of this interview so far… his sentence, ‘I’m trying to be professional.’ I love it. I love it.”
Djokovic & Kyrgios after winning doubles match in Brisbane with Nick Kyrgios
Nick: “Everyone in here is wanting me to hit underarm. I’m trying to be professional.”
Novak: “The highlight of this interview so far… his sentence, ‘I’m trying to be professional.’ I love it. I love… pic.twitter.com/4yQWT8NdiI
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 30, 2024
The 24-time grand slam champion was so impressed by what he saw that he reckons Kyrgios can trouble anyone at the Australian Open – even the world’s best. “Hopefully Nick can stay healthy because, with this game, he can beat anybody on any surface, so it’s great and exciting news for all the tennis world seeing him back on the court,” Djokovic said. “It’s hopefully a great start of the season for both of us and we can keep it going in singles and see how far we can go.”
Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic won their doubles opener at the Brisbane International. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) Djokovic was back in action after skipping the ATP Finals at the end of the season. He won gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024, but failed to win a single grand slam for the first time in seven years. However the 10-time Australian Open champion is adamant he can claim an unprecedented 25th grand slam crown in 2025.
“I feel great, cannot ask for a better start of the season sharing the court with Nick for the first time,” said the Serb. “Winning the match, getting a little bit of a feel for for the court. I look forward to obviously singles, a completely different, different match, different feeling on the court I’m going to have to do – much more running, but I’m ready for it.”
with AAP
In a shocking turn of events, rising tennis stars Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter have been caught in the crossfire of a heated exchange between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios. The incident occurred during a recent tournament, where Djokovic allegedly made a sly remark about Kyrgios that has left both de Minaur and Boulter feeling uncomfortable.The tension between Djokovic and Kyrgios has been well-documented in the past, with both players exchanging barbs both on and off the court. However, this latest incident has taken a toll on the younger players, who were caught in the middle of the drama.
De Minaur and Boulter, who have been making a name for themselves in the tennis world, were left feeling uneasy after witnessing the confrontation between Djokovic and Kyrgios. The sledge from Djokovic has caused a rift in the tennis community, with many fans and players taking sides in the ongoing feud.
As the dust settles on this latest controversy, it remains to be seen how de Minaur and Boulter will navigate the fallout from this unexpected twist. Will they be able to rise above the drama and focus on their game, or will they be dragged into the ongoing feud between Djokovic and Kyrgios? Only time will tell.
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#Alex #Minaur #Katie #Boulter #terrible #twist #Novak #Djokovic #sledge #burns #Nick #Kyrgios
