Former Australia captain Steve Waugh says Nigel Llong deserves credit for diffusing Steve Smith and Virat Kohli's final on-field heated confrontation in Bangalore.
Kohli stormed across the pitch and approached Smith late on day four of the second Test. Australia's skipper had just illegally looked to his changeroom while mulling whether to review a plumb lbw decision.
Things could have turned nasty but Llong made a point to shuffle Smith off the field.
"The good thing about the whole incident was that the umpires stepped in and made the decision straight away," Waugh told Indian media.
"That is where it should have stopped, but things went on after that ... it's a shame we are focusing on one incident.
"Smith will be embarrassed.
"Whatever the outcome of this is, Smith would have learned a lesson. Obviously, he shouldn't have done that and it's not in the spirit of the game."
Kohli claimed in a post-match tirade that Australia had been systematically cheating throughout the game by consulting support staff before deciding on referrals.
Waugh noted "when Smith says that he had suffered a brain fade and that it was not premeditated, I would take it for face value".
Smith's predecessor as captain, Michael Clarke, took a different view of proceedings.
"When you look at the footage of what happened with Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb ... actually suggests to Steve Smith to turn around and have a look at the support staff," Clarke told TV station India Today.
"If it is only a one-off, I don't think that would have happened.
"The fact that Peter Handscomb is even thinking about telling the Australian captain to turn around and look to the support staff, I've got my concerns."
Meanwhile, Waugh told NDTV that he did not have any problems with the various run-ins during the second Test.
"I do not think the relationship between both sides is at the lowest because both sides know each other very well, they play IPL together, they are very passionate," Waugh said.
"The series so far has been excellent to watch.
"There have been some issues that happened on the field but they are all adults, playing a tough game and want to win for their country."
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