Border-Gavaskar Trophy: 5 Biggest controversies in India vs Australia Test series featuring Monkeyga

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: 5 Biggest controversies in India vs Australia Test series featuring Monkeygate in 2008

The ‘Monkeygate Scandal’ refers to the verbal altercation between Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh in the second Test between India and Australia in Sydney in 2008, where the off-spinner allegedly hurled a racist abuse at Symonds, referring to him as a ‘Monkey’.

Mohammed Siraj was racially abused by spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the third and fourth day of the drawn third Test. That had led to an expulsion of six people from the stands and an unreserved apology from Cricket Australia to the visiting team.

During the 2020-21 series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a video of Steve Smith erasing Rishabh Pant's batting guard marks went viral on social media. Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag also shared the clip on his Twitter account.

Smith LBW controversy 2017 – Bangalore Test Smith was out lbw for 28 in Australia’s second innings, trapped in front by a Umesh Yadav delivery that went underground and struck him just above his left boot in front of middle stump. Smith and non-striker Peter Handscomb came together to discuss the merit of reviewing umpire Nigel Llong’s decision but were quickly denied a referral when Llong spotted both batsmen looking in the direction of the dressing room.

Ravindra Jadeja was seen taking a substance off the back of Mohammed Siraj's palm and rubbing it on his bowling finger which went viral on social media after day one of the first Test between India and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.