Virat Kohli hits back at SCG crowd with ‘Sandpapergate’ gesture after Steve Smith falls one short of 10,000 Test runs

Virat Kohli is known for his antics with the crowds. The former India captain was once again at his animated best on Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, mocking the Australian crowd with a ‘Sandpapergate’ gesture on Day 3 of the fifth Test.

The incident took place after Kohli faced jeers from the Australian crowd soon after Smith was dismissed. In response, Kohli turned towards the stands and showed emptied pockets, alluding to the infamous Sandpapergate scandal of 2018.

Meanwhile, Smith was at 9,999 runs in Tests when he was taken by surprise by a Prasidh Krishna delivery, with Yashasvi Jaiswal completing a brilliant diving catch at the gully. Had Smith got to 10,000 runs, he would have been the fourth Australian batter to reach the milestone.

What is Sandpapergate scandal?

The Sandpapergate scandal occurred in 2018 when three Australian players— Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft—were found guilty of ball-tampering against South Africa in Cape Town.

Bancroft was caught on camera trying to rough up one side of the ball with sandpaper to make it swing in the air. At the time, Smith was the Australian captain, with Warner as his deputy. Cricket Australia found all three involved in the incident and banned them for a year.

The then-Australian coach Darren Lehmann also stepped down, although he wasn't involved directly. Unlike Smith and Warner, Bancroft failed to make a mark for Australia on return after the ban.