There is a popular story about Sourav Ganguly and Steve Waugh that goes around whenever India and Australia’s cricketing rivalry is up for discussion. It is said that Ganguly deliberately made Waugh wait at the toss before the start of the India-Australia Test series in 2001 and continued to do so throughout the three-match series which India won. Ganguly, of course, later on went on to clear the air saying that he was late for the toss in the first Test because he had forgotten his blazer but the former captain did agree that he used it as a tactic in the next two Tests to annoy the Australian skipper.
As good as the Australians on the cricket field, they are always up for a feisty battle. For them, the banters, sledges and verbal volleys are as important as cricketing strategies. In fact, they are a part of their strategy. And when an opposition tries to fight fire with fire, they tend to enjoy it even more. Perhaps that’s why Ganguly will always be remembered as one of the influential Indian captains.
A proof of that was on full display when former Australia cricketer Kerry O’Keefe took a cheeky dig at Pakistan using Ganguly’s reference. O’Keefe was not particularly pleased with Pakistan team’s gesture of giving out Christmas presents to the Australian team and their families before the Boxing Day Test. O’Keefe said it was not possible to beat Australia with this kind of mindset.
“This Test series is being played in the best of spirits? You’re not going to beat Australia in the best of spirits. Christmas Presents yesterday. Would Sourav Ganguly have arrived with Christmas presents for Steve Waugh? No,” O’Keeffe said in a video uploaded by Fox Sports.
In a video posted by PCB on their social media, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood was seen handing over a present to his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins while members of the Pakistan team were handing over chocolates to the families of the Australian players.
O’Keefe said an opposition team needs to be feisty against Australia. “You’ve got to play feisty cricket against the Aussies. You got to have some spite. This is too pleasant. And then opening the Boxing Day with a half-volley,” added O’Keeffe, who played 24 Tests and 2 ODIs for Australia between 1971-77.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan, who was a part of that panel, kind of agreed with O’Keefe. “You can’t bring Christmas presents,” he said.
Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon put Australia in the driving seat of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday to leave Pakistan tottering at 194-6, still 124 runs behind on day two.
At stumps, Mohammad Rizwan was on 29 and Aamer Jamal not out two after Cummins took the crucial wickets of Abdullah Shafique (62) and Babar Azam (one), then Agha Salman (five).
Lyon chipped in by removing Imam-ul-Haq (10) and Shan Masood (54), while Josh Hazlewood bowled Saud Shakeel for nine as Pakistan’s dream of a first Test win in Australia since 1995 faded.
