Marking his return to the Indian team, Ravindra Jadeja turned wrecker-in-chief for the hosts, bagging 5 wickets for 47 runs as India bundled out Australia for just 177 runs in the first innings of the Nagpur Test. While Jadeja's performance should've been the central talking point, it was his decision to apply an ointment on his finger that triggered a huge debate on social media. While a number of experts and cricketing personalities from Australia have questioned this act of Jadeja, former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels things could've been different if the all-rounder didn't have the ball in his hand at the time when he was applying the cream.
A video made its way to social media, showing Jadeja receiving something from his teammate Mohammed Siraj and then applying and rubbing that on his left index finger, something that had Australian media and a few former players interested. The debate even got the match referee involved, prompting the Indian team management to inform him that it was an ointment for a sore finger.
Reacting to the controversy, Michael Clarke said on Day 1: “He's bowling so much so he's probably got a blister or cut on that finger. What he should have done there, he should have given the ball to the umpire and stand in front of the umpire while he was putting it on his finger.”
“I don't look at that and think it's a thing. I just wish he didn't have the ball in his hand. If he chucks the ball to the umpire and does that I don't think there's any comment made about that. It's just the perception. I don't think there's anything to it. I could be 100 percent wrong," he said on Big Sports Breakfast, as suggested by Fox Cricket.
It has been learned that the Australian team did not bring the issue to the match referee's attention. But, the Indian team itself went ahead and explained that the all-rounder was only applying an ointment to his sore finger.
With PTI inputs