“Someone from ICC needs to look into the matter and bring it to a finality. Look we need to move on. Probably he would be cautioned. It was a high intensity game.” -Steve Waugh
New Delhi : A “brain fade” moment led to Steven Smith seeking dressing room advice for a DRS referral in the second Test against India and his word should be taken at face value, feels former Australia captain Steve Waugh.
While applauding Cricket Australia’s stand on the issue, Waugh said that board CEO James Sutherland knows “what happened was wrong”.
“It was a fantastic Test match. It’s a shame we are focussing on one incident. I would go with what Steve has said. I would take him at face value. The best part was umpires stepped in and stopped at then and there. Looking back Smith will be embarrassed and must have learnt a lesson,” Waugh said during an interaction.
However, he wants ICC to intervene and bring “finality” to the issue. The reason Waugh wants an ICC intervention is he wants an end to this debate.
“Because we are going to be arguing back and forth for the next six days with more and more people getting involved in it. Like you are asking me and my opinion comes out in the papers and becomes another issue. So ICC should resolve this and just make a statement so that we can all move on. Smith has already said that he has admitted making mistakes, so no point continuing as it’s not good for relations between the two sides,” Waugh said.
Asked about Virat Kohli stopping short of calling Smith a “cheat”, Waugh replied: “I wasn’t aware about what all happened but those were strong comments from Kohli. Although he didn’t say that word but he was inferring it, so I am not sure Smith would have enjoyed reading those statements.
“Both captains need to have a bit of a chat at some stage and need to realise that they are going to play tough. Both are patriotic captains but no point in playing up their arguments in press.”
On whether Kohli has gone overboard, Waugh smiled and said: “That’s Virat Kohli and that’s what you guys love about him. And you want him to lead your country. Look there is a fine line between revving the crowd up when the bowlers are running in. I am not sure Australians will be too happy about that. I don’t mind when you rev up the crowd in between balls but not when the bowler is running into bowl.”
“These are couple of issues from both teams about how the games is played. It’s being played in pretty good spirit but right now it’s bit on the edge,” Waugh said.
Waugh was happy that Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has issued a strong statement supporting its captain.
“Of course, he is the captain of our country and from the chairman (CEO) of the board I would expect that. At the same stage, James Sutherland would have also realised what happened was wrong and shouldn’t happen again and I am sure wouldn’t happen again. That’s what we are going take from this that lesson has been learnt.”
