NEW DELHI: In a hilarious turn of events, India pacer Mohammed Siraj was on Thursday seen teasing Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne with a bail flip on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
The bail flip being done by the Indians has been a recurring event this Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and has been used as a tactic to distract the Australian batters.
But on Thursday, Sraj took it to another level, teasing Marnus while switching the bails during the second session.
The incident took place after the second ball of the 43rd over when Siraj came down to the batter’s end and switched the bails. While Labuschagne just walked away as Siraj switched the bails, the pacer teased him saying ‘Marnus, look at that!”.
Soon after Siraj taunt was head on stump mic, it left the commentators in splits.
An over after that, the Siraj juju worked in India’s favour as Jasprit Bumrah broke the frustrating Labuschagne-Usman Khawaja 65-run stand, removing the former with a short-pitched delivery.
The bail-flip incident also hogged the limelight in Gabba, when Siraj switched them and Labuschagne re-switched them and then lost his wicket soon after.
Australia however took the opening day honours as fifties from their top-four batters took the hosts to a comfortable 311 for six.
While Labuschagne (72) ended as the top scorer for the day, Steve Smith was unbeaten at 68 at the close of play.