• Home
  • Player Stories
  • Steve Smiths Mischievous Act Reminds Fans Of Pontings Infamous Scg Gesture

Steve Smith's Mischievous Act Reminds Fans Of Ponting's Infamous SCG Gesture

Ricky Ponting signals out in Sydney Test [Source: @CricketopiaCom/X]Ricky Ponting signals out in Sydney Test [Source: @CricketopiaCom/X]

Former Australia captain Steven Smith reminded one and all of another former Australian captain Ricky Ponting on the first day of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 Test match against India in Perth. Smith, who made his ODI and Test debuts under Ponting over 14 years ago, emulated him in terms of playing the umpire's role on the field.

It all happened right before the lunch break during India's opening batter KL Rahul’s controversial dismissal at the Optus Stadium. Smith, not a captain unlike Ponting during India's tour of Australia 2007-2008, was spotted gesturing how the ball had first hit the bat before the bat hitting the front pad.

Steve Smith Does A Ricky Ponting In Perth Test

    Perhaps unintentionally, Smith definitely took a leaf out of Ponting's book. Having played four Tests and 20 ODIs alongside the legendary player during the formative years of his international career, Steve Smith, however, didn't play as big as the role Ponting had played to get former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly out in the second innings of the second Sydney Test in 2008.

    What Really Happened During The Sydney Test In 2008?

    Frankly speaking, a lot.

    A match infamous for controversies around racism, poor umpiring and sportsmanship, had seen Ponting raising his finger in a bid to signal to umpire Mike Benson around Ganguly's dismissal.

    Chasing a 333-run target, India still needed close to 200 runs with half the side already back in the hut when Ganguly was wrongly given out by Benson. Having edged a Brett Lee delivery to Michael Clarke at second slip, Ganguly had to walk back to the pavilion in spite of the ball bouncing before the fielder.

    With Benson inquiring about the legitimacy of the catch with Clarke, a desperate Ponting was quick to intervene after having received the nod from his vice-captain. Replays, however, put on display a completely different picture altogether.

    Did Ricky Ponting Lie To Mark Benson?

    The immediate aftermath of the incident had invited severe criticism for Ponting, with the Indian media and fans labelling him as a "cheat".

    If truth be told, Ponting wasn't much at fault at the Sydney Cricket Ground back in the day. While excitement surely got the better of him, his banking on Clarke, who lied, worked against him. As much as a fielder can be unsure about the legality of a catch, Clarke's confidence convinced Ponting to take his word without an iota of doubt.

    When asked if he was out or not during a Delhi Capitals' media event after more than a decade, Ganguly joked around believing Ponting's verdict. The two, part of DC's support staff back in the day, then sarcastically surmised that Clarke was speaking the truth.

    What Was The Catching Agreement Between Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble?

    Under the “catching agreement” between Ponting and India captain Anil Kumble before the start of the series, a fielder's word would be accepted as the truth. That being said, Kumble initiated the scrapping of the agreement before the third Test in Perth.

    "At this point, a few days before the big Test at Perth, I can tell you that that behaviour will play a big role in my decision on the continuation of the agreement," Kumble had written in his Hindustan Times column after India trailed by 0-2.

    "We had decided that in the case of a disputed catch, we would take the word of the fielder concerned, if he was certain. But that agreement was based on the premise that come what may, whatever the situation, the fielder concerned would be completely straight on what happened. Now, there will obviously be a big question mark moving forward on that."

    He was involved in a racial dispute in the same match, and years later, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh had accused Ponting of playing the role of an umpire in the game. Speaking post a record-equalling 16th straight Test win, Ponting had admitted that the umpires had made "a few mistakes" in the match.