What’s the story?
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade were involved in a war of words on day 3 of the fourth Test. When Jadeja was batting, Wade, Jadeja and Aussie skipper Steve Smith got into an on-field argument, and the umpire, Ian Gould, had to interfere to maintain peace.
It didn’t stop there as the war of words continued between both Wade and Jadeja. It seems that Jadeja might have used unparliamentary language against Wade, which prompted a hilarious reaction from the Australian. Footage of the argument has gone viral on the internet in which the Victorian asked the Saurashtra all-rounder “What does M*******d mean?”
You can find the video of the conversation between Wade and Jadeja here (from 1:55:31 to 1:55:50).
In case you didn’t know...
Jadeja and Wade have been involved in numerous exchanges over the course of the fourth Test. It all started on day 2 with Wade sledging Jadeja from behind the stumps and Jadeja responding to him in the best possible way, by smashing the next ball for a six.
Later, on day 3, Jadeja and Wade were involved in another exchange, this time with Aussie skipper Smith backing up his teammate from first slip. The duo were trying to unsettle the batsman as he was threatening to take the game away from them. Soon after the exchange of words, Jadeja reached his fifty and celebrated in his own way - the sword celebration.
Extra cover: War of words between Ravindra Jadeja, Matthew Wade and Steve Smith heard on stump mic
Later in the post-match press conference, when Jadeja was asked about what he told Wade, the world no. 1 Test bowler revealed that he told the Australian gloveman that he would meet him for dinner after his team lost the fourth Test.
The details
Right after scoring his fifty, Jadeja had a small conversation with the wicketkeeper that was heard on the stump mic. Though the first few seconds of the conversation were not clear, Wade was heard asking Jadeja the meaning of a particular word and accusing the batsman of directing the word at him.
The Indian all-rounder refused to admit that he used the word against Wade and ended the conversation right there.
Here is how the exchange of words took place between Matthew Wade and Ravindra Jadeja
Wade: What does M*******d mean?
Jaddu: I don’t know. You should ask somebody.
Wade: I have to ask?
Jadeja: Yes.
Wade: Would you tell what it means? I don’t know why you called me m*******d.
Jadeja: Did I tell you?
Wade: Yeah. You called me m*******d. That is why I want to know what it is.
Jadeja: I don’t know.
Wade: Is it a lie?
Jadeja: No. I didn’t tell you anything.
Wade: No. You told me that.
Author’s Take
This series has been one of the most competitive battles involving the two teams in the recent past. But the cricket that has been played in the series has been overshadowed to some extent by the sledging and other controversies.
Adding to this, the latest controversy involving Jadeja hurling an abuse at Wade is not in the spirit of the game. Jadeja could face a ban/fine if he is proven guilty by the match officials, just like Harbhajan Singh was banned for one Test after directing an abuse at Andrew Symonds in the 2008 Sydney Test.
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