Rohit Sharma recalled the incident with Steve Smith during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The opening Test in Adelaide, dedicated to the late Phil Hughes, saw some notable on-field banter between the two players.
On Day 4, with Smith batting, Rohit – the part-time bowler – claimed for LBW after Smith stepped off the pitch and missed the ball. The umpire dismissed the appeal, prompting a visible reaction from Smith that seemed to frustrate Rohit.
In response, Sharma shouted, “What? What?” prompts a brief verbal exchange. Virat Kohli also intervened and told Smith to be careful of his position, adding to the momentum and increasing tension on the field between the teams.
Also Read: Dad’s Army to Kids T20: CSK Reset DNA, But Are They Bad for IPL 2026 Auction?
Rohit said David Warner, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were also involved in the exchange before the situation eventually calmed down.
“Steve Smith came right up and grounded the ball I was hitting. So I appealed to the umpire. And then he started asking the umpire. So I said, ‘Why are you asking the umpire, bro? You should just bat. Let the referee do his job and let us do ours. Then there was a bit of an excited moment when everyone started coming in the Rothit video.”
“It got a bit heated. David Warner came close with Virat following him. Even Cheteshwar Pujara also joined the crowd who didn’t say anything and just came like this (shows action) and came back like this (shows action again). That was the story,” added Rohit.
In the 2014–15 Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Rohit Sharma scored 173 runs in six innings at an average of 28.33, including one half-century. His returns were modest compared to his teammates and he struggled to convert starts into big scores on tour.
In contrast, Steve Smith was in exceptional form, scoring 769 runs in eight innings at an average of 128. He scored four centuries and two fifties with a top score of 192 and was the backbone of Australia’s batting throughout the series.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
December 17, 2025
