Shocked and disappointed: Smith on marking guard during Pant’s knock

"I have been quite shocked and disappointed by the reaction to this. It's something I do in games to visualise where we are bowling, how the batter is playing our bowlers and then out of habit I always mark centre," Smith said.

Brisbane: Australia batsman Steve Smith has said that he is shocked and disappointed to see the reaction that has come in after he was seen scuffing up the area around the batting crease on the final day of the third Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Smith was seen scuffing up the area around the batting crease on day five of the third Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground and social media users started questioning the Australia batsman for his gamesmanship.

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“I have been quite shocked and disappointed by the reaction to this. It’s something I do in games to visualise where we are bowling, how the batter is playing our bowlers and then out of habit I always mark centre,” Smith told the Daily Telegraph, as reported by Fox Sports.

On Wednesday, Australia head coach Justin Langer also rallied around Smith and said that it is ridiculous to see people talking about the batsman’s gamesmanship over this incident.

As for Steve Smith. I can literally not believe some of the rubbish I have read about Steve Smith. An absolute load of rubbish. If anyone who knows Steve Smith, he is a bit quirky and he does some weird stuff. We have all laughed about it… it is what Steve Smith does at the crease. He does it most games, he is thinking about batting.” “Anyone who suggests for one millisecond he was doing anything untoward, they are way out of line, absolutely out of line. That wicket was that flat and it was like concrete. You need 15-inch spikes to make an indent on the crease. Seriously, I thought that was absolutely ludicrous. In the last couple of years since he has been back, he has been exemplary on and off the field. He has let his bat do the talking, he was abused like anything I have never seen in England, but he kept smiling and let his bat do the talking. Give me a break,” he added.

India and Australia will now lock horns in the fourth and final Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, beginning January 15. The third Test between both these sides had ended as a draw.

The 4th test of the Border Gavaskar trophy will be aired Live from January 15 only on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3 (Hindi) and Sony Six.