Kuldeep Yadav got a mouthful from both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after a careless fielding lapse during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal against Australia in Dubai on Tuesday. The incident was caught on camera in the 32nd over.
Reacting to a fuller delivery from Kuldeep Yadav, Steve Smith flicked the Indian chinaman towards Virat Kohli at mid-wicket. The former India skipper threw the ball to the non-striker’s end hard.
At such situation, the ball is being fielded actually, but in this case, Kuldeep Yadav thought about collecting the ball but changed his mind at the last moment. Rohit Sharma, who was backing up at cover, fielded the ball. Immediately after that, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli hurled abuses at Kuldeep Yadav for not fielding the ball.
As far as the Indian bowling is concerned, Kuldeep Yadav is the only bowler without a wicket on the day. His eight overs yeilded 44 runs. Earlier, captain Steve Smith and Alex Carey struck fifties to guide Australia to 264 all out in 49.3 overs.
Steve Smith top-scored with 73 run as he stitched two crucial partnerships, with Travis Head (39) for the second wicket, which yielded 50 runs, and then with Marnus Labuschagne (29) for the third for another 56 runs.
After the departure of Steve Smith in the 37th over, Alex Carey (61) took charge to take Australia past 260. For India, Mohammed Shami (3/38) grabbed three wickets while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets apiece. Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel got one each.
India show respect towards Padmakar Shivalkar
Meanwhile, the Indian players took the field wearing black armbands in honour of domestic cricket legend Padmakar Shivalkar, who died in Mumbai on Monday due to age-related illness. He was 84.
“In honour of the late Shri Padmakar Shivalkar, Team India is wearing black armbands today,” the BCCI posted on X.
