Waugh vs Ganguly to Kohli vs Smith: Australia-India Controversies

Cheat-gate wasn’t the first time.

The last time India and Australia played a Test series against each other, captains Steve Smith and Virat Kohli were involved in one big controversy with the Indian skipper stopping just short of calling the visiting team cheaters.

The two teams are once again set to meet on the cricket field in their whites for a four-match Test series, starting 6 December. But this time, the Aussies will be at home and Steve Smith will not be featuring in their team as he, along with Cameron Bancroft and David Warner, are still serving the one-year ban for the ball-tampering row in Cape Town earlier this year.

But Smith’s DRS controversy in March 2017 was not the first time India and Australia were involved in an on-field controversy. They date back to 1981. Here’s a look at a few:

• In 1981, India’s famous victory at MCG was marred by a controversy when Sunil Gavaskar staged a walkout after being adjudged leg-before to a Dennis Lillee delivery. It was a remark by Lillee that led to a furious Gavaskar forcing his opening partner Chetan Chauhan to walk out with him.
• The tied Test in Madras in 1986 saw umpire V Vikramraju's leg before decision off Greg Matthews to Maninder Singh questioned by members of the Indian team. In fact one senior India player had gone to the umpire's room to give Vijram Raju an earful.
• During the historic 2001 series, Sourav Ganguly repeatedly kept his opposite number Steve Waugh waiting for the toss during all three Test matches, something that did not go down well with the Australian team.

• The biggest controversy involving the two teams however was the infamous 'Monkeygate' scandal during 2007-08 series in Sydney involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds. Symonds had accused Harbhajan of calling him "monkey" which is considered a racial abuse Down Under. An enquiry commission was set up where Harbhajan was acquitted of charges made by the Australian cricket team. The match was marred by debatable umpiring decisions and erstwhile skipper Anil Kumble's now iconic quote: "Only one team played in spirit of the game". Kumble was applauded by the Indian media contingent who then engaged in a war of words with the then Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting.
• Not to forget Zaheer Khan taking a sly dig at Ricky Ponting in Mohali in 2010 after running him out. Zaheer just called him "Usain Bolt" before Ponting came back to have a word with him.
• The most recent in the list of controversies is the Steve Smith ‘brain fade’ incident during Australia’s tour to India in 2017. Australian skipper Smith asked his dressing room for help with a DRS appeal decision. Virat Kohli caught him in the act (as did the broadcasters), and showed him the route to the dressing room. The matter was eventually settled internally, with cricket boards of both countries putting out a joint press release, in which the Indian cricket board said they had worked things out with their Aussie counterparts and “resolved to restore focus” on the cricket.