India vs Australia: Matthew Wade’s Amazing Act of Sportsmanship for Hanuma Vihari Gets Noticed on Social Media

Good sportsmanship is not only about playing the game by its rules but also respecting your opponents and officials involved. A simple handshake at the end of a tennis match, checking on a player after getting hit are a few gestures of true sportsmanship that sportspersons have delighted us with time and again.

India vs Australia, 3rd Test Full Scorecard | India vs Australia, 3rd Test  Highlights

In one such act of sportsmanship, Australian batsman Matthew Wade’s lovely gesture of sportsmanship towards Team India’s Hanuma Vihari is earning praise and love on social media. Wade’s lovely gesture came in the ongoing third Test between the two sides at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Wade walked out to bat on day two of the match after Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 91. He straight away started his innings in an aggressive manner and turned to using sweep shots to counter Jadeja’s bowling. While the sweep shots did fetch him some quick runs, however, it brought Hanuma Vihari in the firing line. Vihari was fielding at forward short leg throughout and was at the receiving end of Wade’s booming shots on three occasions.

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The Aussie southpaw, however, was genuinely concerned of the fact and wasted no time to check on Vihari, after his sweep shot hit the Indian player’s right leg. Due to the shot’s impact on Vihari, the physio had to be called on the field. Post physio check, Vihari got back on his feet to resume his position at short leg. Wade in an act of good sportsmanship extended a fist bump at him.

Watch it here:

Great to see #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/YYX8GPL0CA

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 8, 2021

The GIF clip shows Wade giving a fist doing a fist dab with Vihari and the Indian reciprocating with extending his arm to acknowledge the act. Wade’s act of sportsmanship, however, had mixed reactions on the micro blogging site. While few appreciated the Australian’s gesture, others reacted with funny comments.

Here are few reactions:

One user simply acknowledged Wade’s gesture and commented ‘Sportmanship’ with a thumbs-up emoji.

Sportsmanship

— AAKIL (@AakilIshak) January 8, 2021

Another poking fun at Wade wrote, ‘Matthew Wade Gone For 13. Hanuma Vihari Is The Happiest Person Right Now.’

Matthew Wade Gone For 13. Hanuma Vihari Is The Happiest Person Right Now. #AUSvIND

— Oggy (@SirOggyBilla) January 8, 2021

While a third compared it to a Hollywood movie and wrote, ‘Australian Sniper starring Matthew Wade featuring Hanuma Vihari #AUSvIND’

https://twitter.com/mottersjames/status/1347345785915019264

Getting back to the third Test, the hosts had high hopes from Matthew Wade, but he was dismissed for just 13 runs in 16 balls with the help of 2 fours. Wade was caught by Jasprit Bumrah off Jadeja’s bowling to give the visitors a fourth wicket.

On day two India bowled Australia out for 338 in the first innings. The visitors are currently trailing by 312 runs.

• fielding
• Hanuma Vihari
• Ind vs Aus
• Ind vs Aus 3rd Test
• India vs Australia 2020
• India vs Australia SCG Test
• Matthew Wade
• Short leg
• sportsmanship