The first game of the Test Series between India and Australia commenced on February 23 at Maharashtra Cricket Stadium, Pune with India losing the toss and having been asked to ball first. The ball, as expected, started spinning and beating the bat from the very first hour. Australian openers David Warner and Matthew Renshaw, who were not in the best of forms, saw off the new ball; they did not dent it. Kohli brought the spin attack from the other end but surprisingly, something new hindered the game meanwhile.
It was something very unusual for an on-field player to retire hurt while batting and return to the pavillion. As reported by Cricket Australia, while Renshaw was on 36, which he scored off 89 balls, his stomach turned upset and he had to leave the field. Blame the spices, you may!
Before the match officials could have garnered some reasons to justify Renshaw’s exit, the Twitterati erupted yet another time and left no stone unturned to analyse this entire episode. The biggest shot on this emergency exit of Renshaw was his own teammates’ reactions.
I’m still getting my head around this… JL would of lost a limb and still batted on #oldschool #cricket #AUSvIND https://t.co/1IVu2aUC9N
— Damien Martyn (@damienmartyn) February 23, 2017
Can we get a hotspot on Renshaw pls ump?
— Adam Zampa (@zamps63) February 23, 2017
Now Matt Renshaw sprinting off before he befouls himself. Greatest morning session of all time?
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) February 23, 2017
Don’t worry Matt Renshaw. It’s better to let it out and feel the shame than hold it in and feel the pain #AUSvIND
— Jarryd Hackett (@jhack97) February 23, 2017
Don’t worry Matt Renshaw. It’s better to let it out and feel the shame than hold it in and feel the pain #AUSvIND
— Jarryd Hackett (@jhack97) February 23, 2017
Matthew Renshaw today at the crease! #IndvAus @BCCI pic.twitter.com/tMYsxKzu0J
— Taher Master (@TaherIsMaster) February 23, 2017
Matt Renshaw’s wicket goes to: #IndvAus
— Akshay Panchwagh (@akshaypanchwagh) February 23, 2017
Matt Renshaw in the change rooms right now #IndvAus #INDvAUS #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Kp2jPwK7CI
— Corrie Ander (@Corrie_Ander_) February 23, 2017
On the other hand, Australia’s former skipper and legendary cricketer Allan border took this thing in a furious way and backfired over the Aussie opener and didn’t hesitate to call it a big lie.
Sports website espncricinfo.com quoted Border as saying, “I hope he’s lying on the table in there half dead. Otherwise, as captain, I would not be happy.”
Allan Border was gobsmacked by the #Renshaw retirement: ‘I hope he’s lying on the table in there half dead.’ https://t.co/FP7PtaOjj0
— FOX SPORTS Australia (@FOXSportsAUS) February 23, 2017
Back in 1996, it was Allan Border who didn’t allow Dean Jones to retire citing dehydration during his epic double-century in the tied Test in Chennai in 1986. He later mocked Jones and called him a ‘weak Victorian’.
