The Australian cricket team has come under fire for their perceived arrogance during the Test Championship final at The Oval following a 'disrespectful' incident at the end of the Indian first innings.
The incident occurred when Aussie players David Warner, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne appeared to prematurely walk off the field while awaiting a third umpire decision.
This act of impatience has drawn criticism, tarnishing their otherwise dominant performance against India.
On day three of the final, India displayed a spirited fightback as Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur valiantly battled through the morning session, contributing crucial runs to their team's total.
Despite Australia maintaining a commanding position throughout the match, frustrations began to mount for the team.
Dropped catches, wickets off no-balls, and squandered reviews marred their day in the field. Eager to retreat to the dressing room and begin their batting innings, the Australians were caught off guard by a bizarre turn of events.
In the 12th over of the day, Cameron Green dismissed Shardul Thakur for a hard-fought 51 runs.
Moments later, he seemed to have trapped Mohammed Siraj for a golden duck, with the on-field umpire raising his finger.
Following the norm of using the Decision Review System, batters typically review any dismissal, even if it appears obvious, when a team has a review remaining for their final wicket.
Expecting Siraj's review to be a formality, the Australian players assumed it was a routine review and began to walk off the field. However, the technology revealed that Siraj had, in fact, edged the ball onto his pads, overturning the on-field decision.
To their embarrassment, the Australian top order had already left the field, eagerly preparing for their second innings. The cheers from the crowd quickly turned into jeers, as spectators deemed the incident disrespectful.
And the Aussie team has come under fire on social media as well.
'I agree. That was poor from the Australians,' one fan posted.
'The four who walked should have known better. Totally disrespectful. Oh how the mighty game has fallen,' posted another.
'What is it with this current crop of Australian up themselves players. These players should be made an example of, and their match fee deducted, or even better given to charity in India.' added another.
Former Aussie Test skipper Ricky Ponting, puzzled by the turn of events, expressed his surprise in the commentary box, stating that he had never witnessed such an occurrence.
Meanwhile, broadcaster Alison Mitchell noted that Usman Khawaja was already halfway up the stairs when the reversal was announced.
Cricinfo's ball-by-ball commentary labeled the act as 'disrespectful,' resonating with the sentiments of the disapproving crowd.
Despite the controversy, the incident had little impact on the match outcome.
Only five balls later, a fiery bouncer from Mitchell Starc dismissed Mohammed Shami, who gloved it to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. India finished their first innings with a total of 296, trailing by 173 runs.
At the end of the third day's play, Australia stood at 4 for 123, leading by 296 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne unbeaten on 41.