Ishant and Jadeja involved in heated exchange

When the Australian media went berserk over Virat Kohli-Steve Smith fracas last year in India during an acrimonious series, Sunil Gavaskar had described the Aussie media as an “extension of the team’s support staff.”

Down Under, a similar situation is unfolding with an increasingly intrusive technology stalking the players’ every move like an obsessed lover.

On the final day of the second Test, as Australia were driving one nail after another into India’s coffin, the host broadcasters played a video from the previous day that had Ishant Sharma and 12th man Ravindra Jadeja in an animated discussion. From Ishant’s gesture at least it was obvious that the two weren’t discussing just the weather.    

The release of the 45-second clip without the audio and then the publication of the translated version of the discussion, which was in Hindi, in the Australian media raised doubts over the role of free-to-air broadcaster Channel Seven in the whole episode.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India played down the spat between two of their senior players. “The incident between Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja was in no way a “fight” and happened in the spur of the moment on the field. The management confirms that all is well between them.”  

The Ishant-Jadeja incident occurred in the second session of the penultimate day when Nathan Lyon was getting treatment after being hit on the head by Mohammad Shami. This is when the two got into an argument. 

The conversation begins with Ishant telling Jadeja not to wave at him and if he needed something, to come over to him. Jadeja reply is inaudible but then he is seen pointing towards the boundary rope and saying: “I had come till there when they/he suddenly told me.”

Jadeja then seems to say 'why are you saying so much or why are you so bothered'. An angry Ishant then says, “Don’t take out your anger on me. I will take that anger and shove it up your @#$*. Ishant repeats his warning before the conversation ends when Shami and Kuldeep Yadav, who was running drinks, intervene and separate the duo.