‘They had a live feed ready’ - Pujara makes sensational claim on Steve Smith’s ‘brainfade’

Pujara Drops Bombshell: Australia Ran a Live DRS Feed in Their Dressing Room Back in 2017

Ex-India bat Cheteshwar Pujara just reignited one of cricket's most juicy controversies, claiming Australia operated a live feed in their dressing room during the 2017 BG Trophy in India — giving them a clear edge on DRS reviews.

The Allegation

Pujara, chatting with Aakash Chopra on Baith & Bol, said the Indian camp noticed a suspicious pattern: every time Australia reviewed, their call was spot on. Turns out, they'd secured a live feed (normally dressing-room feeds are delayed) so players could sneak a glance toward the room before committing to a review.

"They used to sneak a look towards the dressing room so that nobody would catch them, and then make the call on whether to take the DRS or not," Pujara said. "It was unfair in a way. If any other team did this, they'd have objected. But they had no problem doing it themselves."

The Smith 'Brainfade' Moment

This ties directly to the infamous Bengaluru Test, where Steve Smith was lbw off Umesh Yadav, turned to his dressing room for a read, and Virat Kohli stepped in to block him. Smith later blamed a "brainfade." Kohli had publicly accused the Aussies of repeatedly glancing their way.

Respect Amid the Drama

Despite the bitterness, Pujara gave credit where due. Australia became the first team since England in 2012 to give India a real home scare. Recall: they crushed Pune by 333 runs (O'Keefe's 12/70 — best by an Aust bwl in India), but India fought back to win Bengaluru by 75 and take the series 2-1.

"They were desperate to win a series in India. Credit to them; they came prepared," he said — while hinting at plenty he won't discuss, noting things got "personal."

Pujara even admitted he sledged back, always checking whether the camera or stump mic was catching anything. Classic high-stakes Test cricket. Your take, folks?

Source: Crictracker