Australia's and India's cricket boards sprang to the defence of their respective captains Wednesday amid a spiralling war of words that soured the aftermath of the dramatic second Test. India's 75-run victory on Tuesday in Bangalore, after Australia crashed to 112 all out, has left the four-match series between the world's top two sides tantalisingly poised at 1-1.
But Wednesday's headlines were dominated by Indian skipper Virat Kohli's accusation that Steve Smith abused the decision review system (DRS), after he was seen looking to the Australian dressing-room while considering appealing against his dismissal for lbw.
The rules forbid players to consult with anyone off the pitch about whether to seek a review from the umpires, particularly as support staff have access to television replays in the dressing-room. At the post-match press conference, Smith - who was quickly waved off the field by the umpire - admitted he had been at fault, but put it down to a one-off "brain-fade". But an angry Kohli said that rather than being an isolated incident, "it's been happening for the last three days". Although Kohli stopped short of accusing Smith of being a cheat, Indian newspapers were less diplomatic. "Smith Caught Cheating," said an Indian Express headline while The Times of India dubbed the episode "Cheatgate".
Cricket Australia's chief executive James Sutherland said any questioning of Smith's integrity was "outrageous". "Steve is an outstanding cricketer and person, and role model to many aspiring cricketers and we have every faith that there was no ill-intent in his actions," said Sutherland, who was in Bangalore. Coach Darren Lehmann also threw his weight behind Smith, saying the current crop of tourists was well aware of their responsibilities after previous spats between the two teams.