Yashasvi Jaiswal's graceful reply to Mitchell Starc's questioning of superstitions after bail-switching antics on Day 5

The act of fielders swapping a batter's bails has become a popular trend in cricket, thanks to its successful execution by Stuart Broad during the Ashes series of 2023. This tactic has sparked controversy during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as players from both teams are using it to gain a slight psychological edge over their opponents.

With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant stitching together a terrific partnership in the afternoon session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, steadying the ship and making sure India were still on course for avoiding a loss in the fourth match of this series, Australia were looking for anything that could help them change the tide.

Mitchell Starc, bowling in the 33rd over, grew frustrated of the steadily growing partnership, and video cameras captured him walking back to his mark but also stopping at the non-striker’s end on the way to swap around the bails on those stumps.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, off-strike at that moment, wasn’t standing for it as he switched the bails right back around. The incident led to plenty of chatter between Starc and Jaiswal, as the pair exchanged banter at the non-striker’s end.

​​"Superstitious, mate?" asked Starc with a smile on his face, to which the youngster Jaiswal replied “I’m not superstitious. I believe in myself. That is why I am here.”

Starc went on to ask him why he switched the bails, to which Jaiswal cheekily replied “I am just enjoying this moment of my life," not letting the senior Australian bowler unsettle him in that moment.

Rishabh Pant unbothered by antics

Starc would try this trick two overs later, this time against Rishabh Pant, but the typically-aloof wicketkeeper did not spare a thought regarding the incident as he kept batting on without any fuss. The concentration helped the pair, as they batted out the afternoon session with no damage to the scoresheet and brought up a patient half-century partnership.

The bail-switching has become a superstitious thing in Test cricket, after it was used earlier in this series by the Indian team. Marnus Labuschagne was the victim on that occasion, with many hypothesising that the loss of focus from this small incident was enough to find a small opening as he was dismissed a couple of overs later.

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