“I just wish he didn’t…”: Michael Clarke overlooks R Jadeja tampering with ball allegations in Nagpur Test

On a day when India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja registered an 11th Test five-wicket haul upon his return to international cricket after more than five months, his name did the rounds in a potential ball tampering controversy after the day’s play.

It was right after stumps on Day 1 of the first Test match against Australia in Nagpur that a video of Jadeja applying “something” to the index finger of his left hand before bowling a delivery went viral across social media platforms.

It all happened in the second session when the visitors had lost half their side after captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first. According to ESPNcricinfo, Jadeja, India captain Rohit Sharma and the team manager paid a visit to match referee Andy Pycroft’s room to reveal how Jadeja had applied a “pain-relief cream” to the index finger of his bowling hand.

Michael Clarke overlooks R Jadeja tampering with ball allegations in Nagpur Test

For a high-profile series such as Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, such an incident had it in it to be perceived in all sorts of ways. And the exact same happened especially among the Australian cricketing fraternity. Even former England captain Michael Vaughan suspected foul play on Jadeja’s part.

While former Australia wicket-keeper batter Brad Haddin was among the ones who doubted Jadeja’s intentions especially upon first watching the viral clip, former Australia captain Michael Clarke didn’t mince his words to overlook allegations of ball tampering on Jadeja.

Clarke, who pretty much downplayed the whole set of events, did mention how Jadeja could have informed on-field umpires before applying any sort of ointment to his finger.

“He’s bowling so much. So, he’s probably got a blister or cut on that finger. What he should have done there, he should have given the ball to the umpire and stand in front of the umpire while he was putting it on his finger,” Clarke told Big Sports Breakfast on Friday morning.

“I don’t look at that and think it’s a thing. I just wish he didn’t have the ball in his hand. I don’t think there’s anything to it. I could be 100 per cent wrong.”

Clarke, 41, was expected to be in India as a commentator for host broadcaster Star Sports Network but reportedly faced a commentary snub for his involvement in a public fight with girlfriend Jade Yarbrough last month.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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