Smiling Renshaw riles India in Bangalore

Matt Renshaw says he smiled and laughed in Bangalore, where Virat Kohli made fun of the stomach bug that floored the 20-year-old opener in the first Test.

As Virat Kohli resorted to toilet humour during the second Test in Bangalore, Matt Renshaw opted for his standard response to sledging.

Australia will resume at 6-237 on day three of the absorbing contest, having built a 48-run lead thanks to half-centuries from Renshaw and Shaun Marsh.

Australia captain Steve Smith, who scored eight from 52 balls on a tense second day, swapped barbs with India counterpart Kohli throughout his innings.

Renshaw adopted a different tact when he was targeted with verbals throughout a four-hour stay at the crease.

"I just try to smile, because in my past experience smiling seems to unnerve the bowlers a bit more than talking back," the 20-year-old said.

"They seemed to get quite frustrated. I trying to just enjoy it out there and have fun.

"I don't try and say too much out there."

The fresh-faced opener, who scored 60 to help Australia reach 6-237 and claim a 48-run lead at stumps on Sunday, revealed some of Kohli's more light-hearted chat.

"I was just trying to enjoy it and laugh at what he was saying, because some of it was quite funny," Renshaw said.

"He was just reminding me to run off and go to the toilet again, which happened in Pune, so it was quite funny.

"It was really loud out there ... it's something I'm probably not used to, but it's about embracing different conditions and challenges.

"We all took it pretty well and we know that they're trying to get under our skin because we've got a one-nil lead in the series."

Renshaw, who is Australia's leading run-scorer in the series and has faced more balls than any batsman from either side, exhibited remarkable composure for someone who had never set foot in India prior to arriving three weeks ago.

Playing just his sixth Test, Renshaw riled the opposition for some 196 balls.

Kohli was cantankerous when he put down a sharp slips catch. It came when Renshaw was on 29 and was the only chance he offered.

Ravichandran Ashwin raged when Renshaw stood his ground at the non-striker's end, blocking the offspinner's attempt to field the ball and allowing Smith to score a single.

Ishant Sharma was none too impressed with Renshaw's impersonation of the veteran paceman's eye-popping astonishment.

"It was just a grind, but we needed to bat the whole day and managed to do that," Renshaw said.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who did his best to rile Renshaw from short leg, noted "when we play the Australian team there is always some sledging involved".

""It was all in the spirit of the game and there was nothing personal," Pujara said.


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Source: AAP



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