Former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden expressed outrage at Marnus Labuschagne on air for falling victim to India’s bail mind game on the second day of the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Labuschagne’s 55-ball vigil came to an end when he was dismissed for 12 balls soon after Mohammed Siraj upset him with a bail change.

After Jasprit Bumrah struck twice at the start of the second day at the Gabba in Brisbane, removing both opening balls in successive overs and reducing Australia to 38 for two in the 19th over of the first innings, Steve Smith and Labuschagne weathered the storm as the hosts made steady progress 69 for two in 32 overs.

Siraj, who bowled the next round, received a leg-bye that sent Labuschagne on strike. He then moved to the striker’s end and engaged in a heated exchange before the fast bowler turned the balls over, just as former England bowler Stuart Broad had done against the Australian batter in the 2023 Ashes series. After Siraj left, Labuschagne flipped the bail again, leaving the Gabba crowd quite entertained.

Siraj may not have got rid of Labuschagne in the over, but the Australian was dismissed by Nitish Reddy in the following over after chasing a fuller and wider delivery from the medium-pacer, with Virat Kohli completing the dismissal with a catch at second slip.

“I probably would have told Siraj to go away…”

Hayden was not happy with Labuschagne losing his temper after Siraj’s act and said he should have avoided getting involved in that exchange with the Indian bowler.

“He saw 55 throws and had no progress at all. Even that little exchange when I was on the sidelines and a bowler was doing that. I don’t care. I don’t even look at the bowler. I do.” I never once admit what he does. “He’s nowhere near me. In fact, I probably would have told him to leave my accommodation before he even came to bail,” Hayden said in his comment.

It was India’s third wicket in the first innings after only 13.2 overs were played on the first day due to persistent rain in Brisbane. However, Australia passed the 150-run mark shortly after lunch, relying on a fifty from Travis Head, who had scored a century in India’s 10-wicket defeat in the second Test in Adelaide.