Pujara Reignites 2017 DRS Controversy, Claims Australia Used Live Dressing Room Feed
Cheteshwar Pujara revealed Australia used live broadcasting feeds in their dressing room to assist with DRS calls during the heated 2017 Test series in India.
Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara has shed fresh light on one of modern cricket’s most controversial episodes, claiming Australia utilized a live television feed inside their dressing room to guide DRS decisions during the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India.
The revelation brings back memories of the infamous 'Brain Fade' moment during the second Test in Bengaluru, where then-Australian captain Steve Smith was caught looking toward the dressing room balcony for assistance before opting for a review.
Speaking on the tactical unfairness of the act, Pujara detailed how the Australian setup was benefiting from real-time broadcast monitors inside their changing room to determine whether a decision should be challenged on the field.
The incident erupted during Australia's run chase in Bengaluru when Smith was trapped leg-before by Umesh Yadav. Unsure of whether to review, Smith turned toward the Australian balcony, prompting immediate intervention from Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the on-field umpires.
According to Pujara, the Indian side had grown suspicious prior to that moment, noticing a pattern where Australian batters consistently paused and glanced upstairs following close decisions before deciding to signal for DRS.
"They had a live feed in the dressing room that allowed them to quickly assess decisions before transmitting signals out to the middle," Pujara stated, condemning the practice as an unsporting circumvention of the review system rules.
At the time, the ICC rules strictly prohibited off-field assistance for DRS reviews, limiting consultation strictly to the two batters out on the pitch within a 15-second timer.
The 2017 series, which India eventually won 2-1 after a fiercely contested four-match battle, remains one of the most intense Test series played between the two nations in recent memory.