Matthew Wade and Rishabh Pant
One of the entertaining parts of the intense afternoon session, besides the cricketing duel between R Ashwin and Steve Smith, was the exchange of verbals between Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and Aussie opener Matthew Wade.
In the first video that went viral on social media on Sunday, from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pant is heard chirping from behind the stumps as Wade looked to defend the delivery from Jasprit Bumrah. Mocking Pant, Wade his heard saying, "Are you looking yourself on the big screen?"
This verbal duel intensifies as the session rolled on with Wade looking frustrated at times and even stopping the bowler from delivering in a bid to regain his concentration. But Pant continued and Wade only responded with occasional stares.
At the end of the session, Wade, on being asked about the banter from Pant, was quoted by Fox Sports saying, "He just laughs all the time. I don't know what's so funny, must be my batting."
India were folded for 326 on Monday morning with Ajinkya Rahane being dismissed run out for 112 and Ravindra Jadeja scoring his 15th Test half-century. The score helped India take a 131-run first-innings lead.
India further inflicted pressure with Umesh Yadav dismissing Joe Burns for just four before he limped off the field with an injury scare. Ashwin then removed Marnus Labuschagne for 28 as Australia finished the second session trailing India by 66 runs.
