Steve Smith having a chat with Shanto (L) & Nitin Menon steps in (Source: Screengrab)
Steve Smith and his on-field antics with umpires or with anyone else never get old. A similar incident occurred on Saturday as well, when Australia and Bangladesh faced each other in the second Test at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.
To bowl the ninth over of Australia’s innings, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto asked Taskin Ahmed to roll his arms. His second ball was a leg cutter, which hit Smith’s pads.
Immediately after, Taskin made a loud LBW appeal, but on-field umpire Nitin Menon shook his head to give his not-out verdict. And then the drama unfolded.
Steve Smith Offers His DRS Verdict To Bangladesh Captain
Just when Bangladesh players, including captain Shanto and bowler Taskin Ahmed, made an appeal, Smith was heard on the stump mic, saying: “I’m halfway down the wicket to him, it’s going miles over.”
While Shanto was not interested in what Smith had to say, as he was having a discussion with Taskin, who desperately wanted a DRS, the Australian veteran poked them once again, saying: “Go for it.”
Also Read: Litton Das-Steve Smith Get In Full Blown Fight In Australia vs Bangladesh
Both on-field umpires, Nitin Menon and Kumar Dharmasena, approached Smith for a discussion and issued him a warning. They told the 37-year-old that he should not have made such comments, particularly about the remark regarding where he was when the ball hit his pad.
Smith nodded his head to tell the umpires that he had understood what they had to say.
Watch the full drama here:
Ironically, Steve Smith fell after scoring 42 runs, courtesy of an unsuccessful DRS attempt. At that time, Shoriful Islam trapped him leg-before, and on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger to give him out.
The reply showed it would stay with the umpire’s call, and Smith had to leave the field.
The Steve Smith DRS Drama: What Does The ICC Say?
With Steve Smith DRS drama making headlines, let’s take a look at what the International Cricket Council (ICC), cricket’s highest governing body, had to say about that.
- The captain may consult with the bowler and other fielders, and the two batsmen may consult with each other prior to deciding whether to request a Player Review. Under no circumstances is any player permitted to query an umpire about any aspect of a decision before deciding on whether or not to request a Player Review. If the on-field umpires believe that the captain or either batsman has received direct or indirect input emanating other than from the players on the field, then they may at their discretion decline the request for a Player Review. In particular, signals from the dressing room must not be given, an ICC statement read.
In simple terms, only fielding or batting teams can consult each other regarding DRS, not collectively. Therefore, what Smith did was wrong and a punishable offence, as Bangladesh captain Shanto did not approach him to know what he had to say.
Also Read: Pat Cummins Argues With Umpire As Taskin-Hazlewood Collision Turns Chaotic
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