Maybe I shouldn't have done that - David Warner on mocking Varun Aaron
Australia dominated proceedings on Day 4 of the first Test against India, at the Adelaide Oval. Much was expected from overnight batsmen Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha to help India get close to the home team’s total, but neither of them could make much of an impact, getting out to off-spinner Nathan Lyon for 43 and 25 respectively. The visitors managed to scrap their way to 444/10, thanks to a few lusty blows from Mohammed Shami.
Coming out to bowl, India required a few early wickets to put the Aussies under some pressure. The two Australian openers, Chris Rogers and David Warner, negotiated the pre-lunch session comfortably. At the resumption, Karn Sharma broke the opening stand by removing Rogers for 21. Shane Watson joined Warner as the two went about their business in a steady manner.
Wicket off a no-ball and the drama that followed
One of the talking points of the Warner-Watson partnership was the incident that took place in the 34th over of the innings. Varun Aaron, who was bowling only his second over of the day, knocked back Warner’s stumps with a length delivery. The 25-year-old, then, gave the Australian a fierce send-off, letting out a huge “come on” roar, only for the umpires to recall the batsman after it was found on replays that the bowler had overstepped the crease.
While on his way back, the left-hander imitated Aaron’s celebrations and then followed it up a ball later, which didn’t go down well with the Indian players.
Shikhar Dhawan, Warner’s teammate at Sunrisers Hyderabad, clearly wasn’t happy with the Australian’s antics and came in to have a word with him. The action then shifted to the other end of the crease where Watson and Dhawan had a heated exchange of words. Stand-in captain Virat Kohli intervened and managed to take Dhawan away. Ishant Sharma was also seen having a word with Watson. Things returned to normalcy only after on-field umpire Marais Erasmus stepped in.
Maybe I shouldn’t have done that – Warner
Warner was on 66 when Aaron bowled him on a no-ball. He went on to register his second hundred of the Test match, thereby helping Australia reach a commanding 290 for 5 at the end of Day 4, stretching the overall lead to 363 and making sure that the Indians have an uphill task on their hand when they come to bat in the fourth innings.
At the end of the day’s play, Warner said that while he does like to get involved in the middle, he shouldn’t have behaved in the manner that he did.
"The temperature in the middle got up to 40-degree-plus, so maybe it got to some people. It happens in cricket when decisions don't go your way and you get bowled off a no-ball. They will come at you. Sometimes you give it back, sometimes you take it silently," said Warner.
He added: "It is just how cricket is played. When things don't go your way, you get full of adrenaline. Aaron bowling that no ball and nearly getting me out, he came at me. And I had a go at him too. Everyone knows I like to get involved and get verbal. But maybe I shouldn't have done that. It was a bit of a contest and it is like a roller-coaster ride. You just ride it."
Here’s the video of the entire incident.