NEW DELHI: Australian World Cup winner Matthew Wade, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday, was not only a prolific batsman but also a good wicket-keeper to boot.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who was a pivotal figure in Australia‘s T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, played 36 Tests and 189 limited-overs matches.
And like all wicket-keepers, Wade was a good talker behind the stumps and used sledging to a good effect to unsettle the opposition’s batsmen.
Wade, known for his competitive spirit, often used sledging as a tactic to unsettle opponents. His aggressive demeanor behind the stumps made him a vocal presence, especially in close matches.
Wade’s sledging often involved quick-witted remarks or strategic taunts designed to disrupt a batter’s concentration, a skill he had honed since his early days in Australian domestic cricket. He was especially vocal in matches against strong opponents, both in Test cricket and T20 leagues.
But there was an incident during the 2nd T20I between India and Australia in Sydney on December 6, 2020, when Wade actually sledged himself.
Yes, the incident occurred on the last ball of the ninth over bowled by Australia’s Mitchell Swepson with opener Shikhar Dhawan and captain Virat Kohli at the crease.
Swepson bowled a wide delivery to Dhawan who tried to cut but missed. But for a moment, Dhawan lifted his foot in the crease but just got his foot down just in time before Wade whipped the bails off.
As Dhawan prepared to take strike again, Wade said for himself, “Not Dhoni, not quick enough like Dhoni.”
His remark left Dhawan smiling and nodding his head in agreement.
Even the commentators saw the funny side of Wade’s comment and had a good laugh.
India went on to win the match by 6 wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
The 36-year-old Wade is now set to be Australia’s wicket-keeping and fielding coach for the T20 series against Pakistan next month.
Wade filled in as T20 captain between December 2020 and February 2024 and played for Australia for 13 years.
Wade was also a part of the Australia team that made an early exit from the T20 World Cup in June that was won by India.