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'If I was disappointed with anything it was the over-reaction'
'It's a Test match. It’s tough cricket out there, you want people getting on with it'
Former Australian Test spinner Greg Matthews has criticised the team's reaction when pace express Mitchell Johnson's bouncer hit Indian stand-in skipper Virat Kohli on the helmet on the third day of the first Test at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
- Jittery Aussies rattled after Kohli hit by bouncer
Kohli ducked into a rising Johnson delivery in the 31st over of day three and was immediately surrounded by Australian players checking on his well-being. It was an understandable response given the recent passing of Phillip Hughes, but Matthews described it as an over-reaction.
“If I was disappointed with anything it was the over-reaction,” Matthews said.
“Umpires running in from everywhere, players converging, Mitchell getting a back rub and four guys around him holding his hand ...
“It’s a Test match. It’s tough cricket out there, you want people getting on with it.
“Sure if he was badly hurt let’s go up and make sure he’s OK. But he ... stood up and shook it off.
“Watching the umpires and everyone converge just highlighted something we need to move past,” Matthews told News.com.au.
Kohli went on to make 115, guiding India to 369-5 at stumps in reply to Australia's first innings score of 517-5 declared, the report added.