When Javed Miandad called Merv Hughes a 'big, fat bus conductor'

The animated 'send-off' India's Virat Kohli gave fellow batting star Steve Smith of Australia during the opening T20 international at Adelaide the other night, has attracted much attention

The animated 'send-off' India's Virat Kohli gave fellow batting star Steve Smith of Australia during the opening T20 international at Adelaide the other night, has attracted much attention.

King of Banter: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad. Pic/AFP

Smith, who according to Kohli, was sledging the Indian bowlers, holed out to Kohli at cover off Ravindra Jadeja for 21. While we worry about the conduct of players, we also think about the kind of banter players of a different era indulged in to upset a batsman or bowler.

Pakistan's Javed Miandad was a master at this. Batting in the Bangalore Test of the 1983-84 series, Miandad kept asking the wily India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi for his hotel room number.

When Doshi wondered why Miandad wanted his room number, Miandad (as mentioned in his autobiography Cutting Edge) told him, "You've put all your fielders so far away, why don't you place one of them in your hotel room.'

Doshi may have not gone on to dismiss Miandad in that innings, but he could have been thrilled to see the perky Pakistani sent back for 99 courtesy a catch by substitute Krishnamachari Srikkanth off S Madan Lal.

Miandad was gutted after missing out on a century. Many years later, Miandad was up against huge Aussie pace bowler Merv Hughes whom he called a "big, fat bus conductor." Soon, Hughes dismissed Miandad and while the Pakistani batting stalwart made his way to the pavilion, Hughes ran up to him and asked, "ticket please."

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