Is Steven Smith A Cheat Or Did He Just Have A Brain Fade?

It's been a helluva rumble between India and Australia already, but a wee incident, as the second test wrapped up in Bengaluru overnight, has turned the tension to full vol ahead of the last two tests of the series.

Aussie skipper Steven Smith has been called out by Indian captain Virat Kohli, after appearing to look to the visitor's dressing room after being given out leg-before. That's, of course, not allowed, seeing Kohli fire up straight away - and umpire Nigel Llong give Smith his marching orders.

"There are lines you don't cross on the cricket field. I don't want to mention the word, but it falls under that bracket," Kohli told media after the game, which India won by 75 runs.

"I saw that two times happening when I was batting out there.," Kohl continued, regarding the incident.

"I pointed it out to the umpires and twice I have seen their players looking up there for information and that's why I was adamant. When he turned back that's why the umpire's knew what was going on, we told the umpires they had been doing that for the last three days and that had to stop."

Smith would call the moment a "brain fade", but his opposition number wasn't satisfied with the Aussie's explanation.

"If someone makes a mistake while batting, for me that's a brain fade. The way I left the ball in Pune that was a brain fade," Kohli said.

"If something is going on for three days that's not a brain fade, as simple as that. I don't want to say more on that.The videos are out there for everyone to see."

Legendary former Indian test batsman Sunil Gavasker agreed with the current captain, calling Smith's actions "not in the spirit of the game."

"We have to see what the ICC and match referee do … the match referee and the umpires should look into it," he told NDTV.

Australia-Indian cricketing relations have long been testy, with plenty of emotion already through this particular test series. Unfortunately, the fallout from Smith's "brain fade" takes the gloss off a superb effort from the hosts.

Setting the Aussies 188 to win with the best part of two days to bat, India managed to knock over the visitors for just 112 with Ravi Ashwin taking 6 for 41 That sets up a fascinating last two tests for this series, set to be played in Ranchi and Dharmasala.