Ravindra Jadeja tickles umpire Chris Gaffney out of nowhere; stump mic reveals why: ‘Huh! I’m cheating?’ — Watch
Cameras picked up Ravindra Jadeja having some fun with on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney, not for the first time this series.
Never one to shy away from having a bit of fun on the field, Ravindra Jadeja was back up to his old tricks on day four of the ongoing India vs England Test match at Edgbaston. Cameras spotted Jadeja having a light-hearted moment with on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney.
The Kiwi official was resetting the bails on top of the stumps when Jadeja walked over to have a word. Whatever was said clearly touched Jadeja’s funny bone, as he began to playfully poke the experienced umpire as both had smiles on their faces.
Stump mics also picked up Jadeja seemingly saying: “Huh! I'm cheating?”, although clearly in a humorous tone in some light-hearted ribbing from the umpire from New Zealand. It isn't exactly clear what was said between the two.
This interaction came early in England’s fourth innings effort, right after Akash Deep had got one to nip back and beat Ben Duckett to crash into the opener’s stumps to make it 30/2 and give India a massive advantage.
This was not the first time in this series that Jadeja had such an interaction with Gaffaney, with the pair having shared another nice moment during the Headingley Test match when India successfully managed to get the ball changed after it had lost shape. When the umpires finally agreed to a different ball being provided to India, Jadeja went over to celebrate the fact with a smiling Gaffaney, who definitely saw the funny side of things.
Jadeja, India look to level series at 1-1
While Jadeja shared this entertaining moment with Gaffaney, the Indian all-rounder was also involved in some controversy regarding the officiating and the English team earlier in this match. Captain Ben Stokes had taken issue with Jadeja seemingly running over the danger area a few times while batting, and the Indian spinner revealed that he was irked by Stokes trying to make a mountain out of a molehill by taking the matter to the umpires repeatedly.
"He feels that I am making it rough for myself. In fact, he was making it rougher by using fast bowlers. I didn't have to make it rough,” a heated Jadeja had said in the post-day press conference earlier in this match. “He was repeatedly telling the umpire that I was running on the wicket. But that was not my intention. I ran here and there a few times. But that was in his mind.”
In the end, it is India with the initiative heading into day five, once again promising to be a Test that heads down to the wire. England are chasing a daunting 608 and are already three wickets down for just 72, but caused damage from a similar position in the first innings. India will be hoping to be clinical in the field and level the series in Birmingham.
