Australia are gobsmacked by the International Cricket Council's refusal to charge any player involved in the many bust-ups in Bangalore, while Peter Handscomb has vowed to rise above the expected rancour in Ranchi.
The ICC has cracked down on bad behaviour in recent years, reprimanding players more frequently and introducing a new disciplinary system in 2016. ICC chief executive David Richardson put teams on notice before the 2015 World Cup that "sledging and disrespect" would not be tolerated.
Australia and India rolled back the years in a spiteful second Test full of heated moments. The governing body has followed suit, shouldering arms in response to every send-off, run-in, accusation, antagonistic act and misdeed that has soured relations between the teams.
The ICC has formally backed match referee Chris Broad's decision not to level any charges, prompting fears it will be open slather when the series continues next Thursday.
"It was quite amazing nothing was done," Australian assistant coach David Saker said.
"In the last two or three years, those things have been stamped out quite well and it sort of came back.
"It (the second Test) was more the 70s and 80s ... go back to my era, you can do what you want."
Umpires Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong struggled to control various spotfires during the game, which the hosts won by 75 runs to level the four-Test series at 1-1.
Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Steve O'Keefe were all rebuked by the umpires at various points, but tensions never simmered.
The tourists are privately stunned Kohli has not been reprimanded, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likewise unhappy Smith isn't charged.
Kohli, who dished out almost non-stop verbals while taking an antagonist approach in the field, was given more lectures by Illingworth and Llong than any other player.
Kohli accused the opposition of systematically cheating during a post-match tirade, saying Smith's misdeed wasn't the only example of Australia seeking illegal advice from support staff on DRS reviews.
The fiery batsman straddled the line of dissent after a failed review. India's captain, who momentarily refused to budge, walked off shaking his head and swung his bat after crossing the boundary.
It's also understood there was a throat-slitting gesture from the firebrand, who was praised for his "exemplary" conduct in a BCCI statement.
"It's a bit disappointing if that is the case, but I didn't see anything," Handscomb said of the aggressive gesture made when Kohli was dismissed on day four.
"I thought we handled him quite well on the field.
"We're not trying to get into a verbal stoush out there and, if that's what they need to do to get themselves up for the competition, then that's perfectly fine and they're well within their rights to."
The only carrot or stick being waved at players in an effort to ensure there is less confrontation next time is a pre-match captains' meeting with Richie Richardson, who is replacing Broad as match referee for the third and fourth Tests.
"The match referee will bring both captains together to remind them of their responsibilities to the game," Richardson said.
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