Having scored an impressive 68 on a dry turner against the World No. 1 team, Matt Renshaw would have expected questions about his batting at the post-match press conference yesterday. But what he got was a barrage of questions of his oddly- timed toilet break
Australia's Matthew Renshaw returns to the pavilion after being dismissed by R Ashwin on Day One of the first Test against India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Pune: Having scored an impressive 68 on a dry turner against the World No. 1 team, Matt Renshaw would have expected questions about his batting at the post-match press conference yesterday. But what he got was a barrage of questions of his oddly- timed toilet break, resulting in the Aussies having two new batsmen at the crease in the 28th over on the opening day of the first 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test.
David Warner and Renshaw had negotiated the Indian bowlers well to take the visitors to 82 for no loss in the 28th over. But just as Umesh Yadav dismissed Warner, Renshaw started running back to the dressing room with his partner. "It (the urge to answer nature's call) came pretty suddenly, probably about five or 10 minutes before Davey (David Warner) got out," Renshaw said of the bizarre scenario.
'Can I retire ill?'
"I wasn't quite sure I could retire ill. I spoke to the umpires and once I got the confirmation that I could, I left," Renshaw added.
Renshaw's departure took everyone by surprise, Australian skipper Steven Smith included. "He wasn't too thrilled about it, but he understands that when you need to go to the toilet, you've got to go. It wasn't an ideal scenario, as I said, but it's life," Renshaw explained, inviting laughter in the press conference room. India batting coach Sanjay Bangar's assessment of the whole situation caused some laughs too.
Sanjay Bangar
'It's uncontrollable'
"When you have to answer nature's call, no amount of will power or mind power can control that. He had to go, probably he held back. He was having that conversation with Smith as well, whether he could do it or not. But beyond a point, it wasn't controllable. Such incidents happen, it adds to the colour of Test cricket," Bangar said.