Matthew Wade mocks R Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari, Indian fans SLAM Australian's Test record

The battle at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Day 5 of the ongoing India vs Australia 3rd Test match was bound to be an intensifying one. Considering the situation of the contest, the visitors showcased a great amount of grit and determination to put up a spectacular show under enormous pressure. However, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side's miraculous comeback frustrated the Australian cricketers. Matthew Wade, who resorted to mock India's Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin, was slammed by Indian fans on social media. 

Fans lambast Matthew Wade for his on-field antics

Once the Australian team had set an imposing 407-run target for the visiting team, the onus was on the batsmen to come up with a lion-hearted performance against a formidable Australian bowling attack on a placid track. Opening batsman Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill looked confident initially and scored runs at a brisk pace. The duo blunted the opening burst of the Australian pacers on the penultimate day of the Test. However, it still was a daunting task for the players to step up on the final day.

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Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been phenomenal for the Indian team in the longer format, once again proved why he is rated so highly by the cricket pundits. The right-hander batted exceedingly well alongside Rishabh Pant and steadied the ship for the team in the middle. However, both the set batsmen were dismissed in quick succession. With Ravindra Jadeja, also nursing a thumb injury, Ravi Ashwin joined Hanuma Vihari at the crease.

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The two players displayed great composure on the field and toiled hard against Australia's quality bowling. The Tim Paine-led side have been dominant in the contest and were sniffing victory after posting an enormous total. However, Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin batted courageously, which frustrated the Australian players as they witnessed that the game was slowly slipping out of their hands. 

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Matthew Wade attempted to get under the skin of the two Indian batsmen, which irked the country's fans. Wade, who was positioned at the short-leg, tried several measures to disrupt the opposition's momentum. The 33-year-old was seen mocking R Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari with unnecessary throws at the batsmen to stares. The Indian fans were also quick to remind the wicketkeeper-batsman of his ordinary Test record and blasted him for his behaviour. 

Hanuma Vihari injury update

The 27-year-old cricketer, who features in the Indian team predominantly in red-ball cricket, had a crucial role to play in the final innings of the India vs Australia 3rd Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, the player apparently picked up a hamstring injury while running a quick single on the final day of the encounter. In spite of the injury, Hanuma Vihari chose not to walk back to the pavilion as he was the last recognized batsmen left considering Ravindra Jadeja's injury. Vihari, along with Ashwin, batted marvellously to help India salvage a remarkable draw. 

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Image source: AP