MELBOURNE: After the heat generated by the two controversial decisions on the opening day, the first Test just got spicier as Indian opener Virender Sehwag was on Tuesday involved in an altercation with Australian pacers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle during the visitors’ first innings.
The incident happened in the fourth ball of seventh over – and fourth after lunch break – bowled by Pattinson.
Sehwag, who was on 16, played the ball down to fine leg and ran for a single. Pattinson stood at the middle on his follow through with his elbow stretched which Sehwag evaded.
After completion of the run, an angry Sehwag had a few harsh words for the bowler and he was also seen pointing his bat towards Pattinson. The big-bodied Pattinson answered back with equal aggression.
Siddle, who was stationed at mid-off, came to join the argument. Finally, it was umpire Marais Erasmus who spoke to Sehwag to calm down before the proceedings continued.
On Monday, the dismissals of Australian opener Ed Cowan and Michael Hussey had kicked up a controversy with the former questioning the ICC’s failure to implement the Decision Review System for all Test series.
The Australian media blasted the Indian Cricket Board for refusing to use the DRS in the series while calling visiting coach Duncan Fletcher a “hypocrite”. (PTI)