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'It's A Finger Protection Pad': R Ashwin Clears The Air On Bumrah’s Sandpaper Controversy

Rajgeeta∙ Updated: Jan 5 2025, 1:15 PM

Jasprit Bumrah faces shocking accusations [Source: @ashwinravi99/X.com]Jasprit Bumrah faces shocking accusations [Source: @ashwinravi99/X.com]

Ravichandran Ashwin has stepped in to solve the mystery surrounding the accusations against Jasprit Bumrah of using sandpaper during a match. This comes after a video sparked rumours about Bumrah’s actions in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

In the fifth Test match between India and Australia, Bumrah, India star fast bowler, has been a hot topic for his performance. He has been widely praised for his brilliant bowling throughout the series. However, on Day 2 of the Sydney Test, Bumrah faced accusations of using sandpaper, which is illegal in cricket as it helps tamper with the ball to alter its movement.

The controversy started when a video surfaced online showing Bumrah adjusting his shoes. In the video, something that appeared to be sandpaper dropped from his shoes. Some viewers speculated that he might be tampering with the ball. 

But Ashwin, in his usual witty style, responded on Platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, “That’s a finger protection pad 🤣🤣,” which cleared up the confusion. It turns out that the object in question wasn’t sandpaper, but a harmless pad used for finger protection.


Virat Kohli Taunts Australian Fans with 'Sandpaper' Gesture

As for the match, things got a little more heated on Day 3 when Virat Kohli, who was filling in as captain for Bumrah, had some fun with the Australian crowd. After dismissing Steve Smith, who was involved in the infamous 2018 sandpaper incident in South Africa, Kohli emptied his pockets and showed he wasn’t carrying anything to tamper with the ball. 

This was his playful way of teasing the Australian crowd, especially after Smith’s controversial past with ball-tampering.

Later in the match, Australia handed India a crushing defeat in the fifth Test. The hosts secured a spot in the World Test Championship 2025 final with a 6-wicket victory, sealing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1.