Watch: The Australians’ infamous sledging habit came with a twist during the second T20I between India and Australia as stand-in captain Matthew Wade sledged himself after missing a stumping chance.
The moment came in the ninth over of the second innings, with India chasing 195 for victory. Dhawan, who was going strong on a 25-ball 39 at the time, attempted a cut against a wide delivery from Mitchell Swepson, and missed it, though it wasn’t called a wide by the umpire at first.
Dhawan then lifted his back foot just for a fraction of a second, and in that time, the watchful Wade whipped off the bails, and proceeded to appeal loudly to the square-leg umpire, even as a confused Dhawan seemed to ask why a wide hadn’t been called.
Replays suggested Dhawan had just about grounded his back foot in time, and the left-hand batsman was safe. The on-field umpire signalled wide only after the final decision from the third umpire.
For all Dhawan’s confusion, even had it been called a wide, he wouldn’t have been saved had he not grounded his feet. Dhawan seemed a bit relieved after the not out decision when Wade cracked him up with a rare self-sledge.
Virat Kohli 🗣️ “I’ll send @ABdeVilliers17 a text tonight, and I’ll see what he thinks of that shot.”
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) December 6, 2020
“Not Dhoni. Not quick enough like Dhoni,” Wade was caught saying on the stump mics, prompting Dhawan to break into a chuckle. Dhoni, the recently-retired former India captain, was famous for his lightning hands and unorthodox style of wicketkeeping. It was one of the more mellow moments in a series that has had quite a few more heated incidents.
Dhawan didn’t last long thereafter, though. He holed out after scoring 52, but India still went on to win the match by six wickets, with Virat Kohli scoring 40, and Hardik Pandya hammering an unbeaten 22-ball 42* to secure the win.
Watch below the brilliant moment when Wade sledges himself:
"Not Dhoni. Not quick enough like Dhoni!"
Brilliant from Matthew Wade after a failed stumping attempt of Dhawan 😂#AUSvsINDpic.twitter.com/86bwf61f53
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) December 6, 2020