Being on the receiving of tasting your own medicine isn't exactly a pleasant feeling. Being treated the same way you treated others can be a tad humiliating.
In cricket, it can happen more often than believed. There have been numerous occasions as to when this has been conceded.
"Tasting your own medicine" in cricket describes a moment when a team or player experiences the exact same aggressive tactic, trick or tough treatment that they normally inflict on others.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin enjoyed an unforgettable duel with his ex-India team-mate, Ajinkya Rahane, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Resuming their rivalry for the first time in that edition of the cash-rich league at the Chepauk, the two finalists of the inaugural season played out an absolute humdinger of a contest which was decided on the final ball.
Ashwin, who has been an advocate of the run-out at the non-striker's end, was keen on playing mind games with his ex-India team-mate Rahane during his opening spell.
After Rahane was successful in dealing with Ashwin's tossed-up delivery; the veteran spinner stunned everyone by aborting his second ball. Since CSK opener Devon Conway wasn't backing up; Ashwin was not eyeing a clever dismissal although the spinner still pulled the plug on his delivery.
Giving Ashwin a taste of his own medicine, an ice-cool Rahane then did the unthinkable at the Chepauk. The senior batter got himself on level terms by cleverly refusing to take guard which further postponed the second delivery of Ashwin's over.
Rahane's epic response to Ashwin for playing mind games with the batter received perhaps the loudest cheers from the CSK fans at the packed Chepauk. The intense face-off soon became the talk of the town on social media.
Successfully negating the carrom ball on the second delivery of the over; Rahane then smoked a handsome six off Ashwin before capping off a 10-run over for the Yellow Brigade. However, it was Ashwin, who got the last laugh as the star spinner got the better of Rahane in the 10th over.
Winning the battle of wits against Rahane, the RR spinner removed power-hitter Shivam Dube to take a brace of wickets. Ashwin bagged two wickets and leaked 25 runs in his four overs. The senior all-rounder also played a crucial knock of 30 off 22 balls in Rajasthan's 3-run win over the five-time champions.
The 36-year-old was also named the Player of the Match for his all-round show against MS Dhoni's CSK at the Chepauk. "I surprise people I guess. Whenever I walk out to bat, people assume I just took that decision and came out, but that's a role given to me, we lost Sanju and I had to do a job. I am far better at judging my strengths, I take a few balls to get going. Every batting innings, I am padded up from the start. It's not an easy thing but it is good. I came off with good Test form. I feel I am able to get good grip and drop on the ball at the right lengths," Ashwin said after the match."
When South Africa toured Australia in 2008/09; The 180-run partnership between JP Duminy and Dale Steyn became the third-highest for the ninth wicket; just 15 short of the record stand between Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in 1998. It's the highest by any team against and in Australia.
South Africa's last four wickets put together 318, which is a record for them, and only the 11th instance in Test cricket - and the second in 2008 - of the last four adding more than 300. Ironically, the Australians, who were at the receiving end this time, had begun the year by inflicting similar misery on the Indians in the controversial Sydney Test; when Andrew Symonds' unbeaten 162 had helped the team add 329 for the last four wickets.
Duminy was the recognised batsman but Steyn, whose previous highest Test score was an unbeaten 33, proved his batting credentials quite convincingly. During the 63.4 overs that the partnership lasted; Steyn took exactly 50% of the strike, facing 191 deliveries and struck ten boundaries (nine fours and a six). Duminy was only slightly more aggressive, scoring 92 during the stand.
Steyn's 76 is the second-highest score by a South African No.10 batsman and only the fifth time one of them has reached a half-century.
Mitchell Johnson had been Australia's best bowler in the series but Duminy and Steyn took 63 runs from the 102 balls he bowled during the partnership. Nathan Hauritz, on the other hand, only conceded 27 from 90. Johnson was easily the most threatening and luckless, though: he beat the bat or induced an edge 16 times during the stand; 11 of them against Steyn.
The heroics from Duminy and Steyn ensured that Australia conceded the first-innings lead in Melbourne for the first time in 12 years. The last team which managed this was West Indies, in 1996, when they bowled Australia out for 219 and then scored 255 in a match they eventually won by six wickets.
For a day, at least, the tables had turned. Up to that point, Australiaâs tour of India in 2022/23 had been marked for the visitors by two batting collapses under the scrutiny of spin: one when the first Test was almost gone, the next when the second Test was very much in their keeping. To begin the third match in Indore, though, with one last chance to stay in the series, the Australians found themselves able to out-India in India.
A couple of early wickets, a pitch as even-tempered as post-midnight Gary Busey and suddenly there were shivers running through the home side instead of their unfortunate guests.
The first nine wickets fell to spin until a mad run-out on 109. The Australian reply also met difficulty, but reached stumps with six wickets in hand and a lead of 47 that could be worth far more than it sounds.
The opening exchanges looked like the match would skew the other way. Rohit Sharma had been Indiaâs best bat on turning pitches in recent years. Mitchell Starc returning from injury sent down the new ball at full pace and on line.
His first ball took Rohitâs edge to the keeper. His fourth hit the pad in front of off stump. Neither was given out, neither was reviewed, both would have been overturned.
Usually when a team is outmatched; missing one or two scant opportunities is the end. The other team steams away. As Rohit and Shubman Gill responded with six boundaries in the next 23 balls; lashing Starc and Cameron Green through the off side, that scenario was playing out. Until spin in the sixth over changed everything.
Matthew Kuhnemann was entrusted first; having opened in both innings on debut the previous week in Delhi. The left-arm spinner was chosen for accuracy but it was variety that brought him into the game; hurrying Rohit before slowing up the last ball of the over.
Rohit jumped out and aimed for Indoreâs blue and yellow bucket seats. On most grounds, he would've been close enough to the pitch of the ball. Here it turned savagely past his edge, wicketkeeper Alex Carey taking it above his shoulder yet still with time for the stumping.
Suddenly the gout of soil dislodged by one delivery in the first over had more bearing on the match than the wicket chances missed. Starc got one more over. Subtler turn from Kuhnemann took Gillâs edge to Smith at slip. The opening partnership of 27 had become two for 34. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon promptly replaced Starc, spin at both ends.
Already balls had turned sharply, stayed down or jumped from a length; far more extreme on day one than the surfaces in Nagpur or Delhi. Cheteshwar Pujara got equally jumpy in a way that belied his 101 Tests; backing away to force Nathan Lyon square after three balls.
Instead, he lost his stumps to one that scuttled through so low that it redefined grassroots cricket. Ravindra Jadejaâs promotion to No 5 came and went, slapping Lyon to short cover.
Shreyas Iyer threw the bat at width, under-edging past off stump with enough contact to dislodge a bail. Kuhnemann had three, India were 45-5. After handling the conditions better than anyone for 22 out of a partnership of 25; Virat Kohli met his mini-nemesis, Todd Murphy, the third-gamer floating an off-break from around the wicket, beating Kohli in the air, and turning it enough to hit pad past his inside edge while going straight enough for leg stump.
It was at that point of the innings where Indiaâs lower middle order usually bail them out but the all-rounders had to fail with the bat eventually. Two smart reviews found wicketkeeper KS Bharat lbw to Lyon despite a big stride; then Ravichandran Ashwin nicking a pearl from Kuhnemann.
The left-armerâs fifth came after Umesh Yadav lumped a couple of sixes, before being struck so concretely in front that he walked straight off with one wicket remaining and two reviews in hand.
Seeing India taken apart, Australiaâs reply wasn't without nerves about handling the conditions themselves; especially after Travis Head went for nine. However, a combination of Usman Khawajaâs otherworldly skill and Marnus Labuschagneâs otherworldly luck put on 96 together.
Khawaja was chanceless in his 60; playing with the softest of hands. Labuschagne was bowled by a no-ball; not out to a certain lbw that wasn't reviewed and dropped by the keeper on his way to 31.
For the first time in the series, with a worried eye on the scoreboard, Ashwin and Jadeja strained to attack. Over-pitching offered runs or a safe defence. Jadeja did chip away for all four wickets to fall; with Steve Smith caught behind for 26 before stumps. Smith determinedly played the line of the ball as he did so successfully in 2017 but got unlucky as it took his edge rather than beating it.
With Australiaâs modest lead, normal service could resume on day two with India wrapping them up. Or if Peter Handscomb and Cameron Green survive an hour or two, Australiaâs advantage could be decisive. Either way, like Pune in 2017, India got a taste of what itâs like to play India. Those spinning pitches canât always break in your favour.
In 2025, a mini collapse on the fourth evening forced England to reveal that Chris Woakes, who had dislocated his shoulder while fielding in the first innings of the fifth Test against India, was preparing to bat if required. Mohammed Siraj's fiery spell on the final morning brought Woakes down the Oval staircase; wearing a sling on his right arm tucked into his pullover as he walked in to bat left-handed after England lost their ninth wicket with 17 runs still needed.
Ashwin hit back at Ben Stokes as Chris Woakes injury rocked Englandâs chase
Woakes received a heroâs welcome from the London crowd and played the non-strikerâs role while Gus Atkinson tried to see England through. In a brief stand of 10 runs off 13 balls, Woakes winced in pain as he hobbled between the wickets for four singlesâtwo of them crucial in returning Atkinson to strike.
The valiant effort went in vain as Siraj cleaned up Atkinson with a pinpoint yorker; sealing a six-run win for India.
After the loss, former India cricketer Ashwin hit back at England captain Ben Stokesâwho had missed the Test with a shoulder injuryâfor dismissing the need for injury substitutions as "ridiculous."
Stokes had labelled the idea a "joke" during a press conference in Manchester, after Indiaâs Rishabh Pant suffered a fractured toe while batting.
"What you sow is what you reap," Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat. "At Old Trafford, after Rishabh Pantâs injury, the press conference included questions about injury substitution. Gautam Gambhir had said that injuries like these warrant substitutions. Immediately after, the same question was asked to Ben Stokes and he said, âItâs absolutely a joke.â"
Ashwin praised Woakesâ grit but said Stokes shouldâve reconsidered his earlier dismissal of injury substitutions â especially after Englandâs ordeal in London.
"Iâm a big fan of Ben Stokes. I admire his attitude. But you need to think before you speak. Today, Chris Woakes walked out with his shoulder tucked into into his sweater and gave it his all to help the team win. He almost did it. He was running, showing immense game awareness. Hats off to Chris Woakes â remarkable attitude, remarkable fight, putting his body on the line," Ashwin added.
Ashwin also said that while everyone is entitled to an opinion, calling injury substitutions a "joke" or "ridiculous" was disrespectful. He urged Stokes to think before speaking and suggested that karma had delivered an instant reply at The Oval.
"All Iâm saying is: show a little empathy for the other team. Stokes should have considered what it would be like if a player of Rishabh Pantâs calibre was in his team and got injured. Wouldnât you want a substitution? Wouldnât that be fair? âYou are free to share your opinion â but using words like âjokeâ and âridiculousâ isnât respectful. Think before you speak. Karma hit back instantly."
In 2019, After playing a match-winning innings of 94 from 50 balls against West Indies in the first T20 International in Hyderabad, India's then-captain Virat Kohli said international cricket is all about playing hard but, at the same time, it is important to have respect for your opponents.
A charged up Kohli was seen imitating West India fast bowler Kesrick Williams' trademark celebration style of scribbling on a notebook after he ripped the pacer apart with his splendid strokeplay.
"No, it is not the CPL (Caribbean Premier League). It happened to me in Jamaica when he got me out so I thought I would tick a few in the notebook as well but all good, smiles out there, in the end."
"That's what you want to see, good competitive cricket but at the end of the day we shake hands, that's what cricket is all about, play hard but at the end have respect for your opponents," Kohli said at the post-match ceremony after India cruised to a six-wicket win with eight balls to spare.
In the 16th over of India's innings, Kohli was seen imitating Williams. The first ball of the over was dispatched for a boundary and the next was whipped over midwicket for a six; following which Kohli brought out the notebook celebration as the bowler Williams looked on in amusement.
In 2017, Williams had given Kohli a 'notebook-style' goodbye after taking his wicket and the India captain had clearly not forgotten that and was waiting to give it back.
Back in 2015, you could have bet the house, the family silver, the car and the cat on Alastair Cook making a century and batting through the day. There was never any doubt.
Cook has made hundreds for England around the globe, in all circumstances, in adversity, when he seems at his best and occasionally with a freedom that always tends to surprise. In the Zayed Stadium, there was something almost feudal about it: a lord of his 22-yard bleached and parched manor ruthlessly and methodically extracting his dues from the poor, downtrodden serfs whose lot in life is to fling a leather rag of a ball for his personal delectation. There are times when the game of cricket has a particular cruelty all of its own.
It is said that in practice before the Test, such was the intense heat and humidity Cook discovered a few beads of sweat on his brow and wondered if he was leaking. Cook, famously, would drive manufacturers of anti-perspirants into penury. He probably just evaporates a little.
Certainly, there was no such sign of moisture in mid-afternoon after he had pushed a long half-volley tantalisingly to the extra-cover boundary to move to his 28th Test century. He does not fist-pump or grandstand, never has.
Understated always, from his first in Nagpur nine years ago, to this the routine (how nice to be able to have a routine for acknowledging Test hundreds) has varied little: helmet removed and held diffidently above shoulder height, bat raised, an acknowledgement to team-mates and supporters sitting in the shade of the stand (a good crowd, with a real Pakistani atmosphere) and then a private glance at the sky.
Finally, he rescratched his guard and settled down again. On days like this, when he has been given a blank cheque; Cook is in for the long haul. For him, reaching a century is not the endgame but merely a milestone to be passed on a longer journey.
Among great batsman (and Cook can be regarded as a great England batsman) there is a certain pragmatism that allows them to delve into their locker of tools and select those appropriate to the job. They can rationalise their game and use only what they need to get the job done.
Cook is different, if not unique. What he uses â the cut, occasional pull, clip off his toes, work off his hips and a sort of gentle bottom-hand shove into the covers is all he has ever had as run-scoring shots. Against spin, he sweeps, choosing the line carefully so as to remove lbw from the equation.
There are no big boundary clearers. This is a batsman who has made the utmost of what he has been given and married them to an unwavering concentration and determination, grounded in the uncompromising discipline of the St Paulâs Cathedral choir.
Cook ended up scoring 263. The game as a contest has long since died and the pitch, barring the occasional ball that bit and turned gently, is as unforgiving as it was when play began on Tuesday.
Perhaps it will spin eventually, perhaps not. When, in the final session, the 703rd delivery of spin in the match failed to produce a wicket, it became the longest barren spell for spinners in any Test. This in a match where spin was expected to play a significant role.
Only three times over more than eight hours did Cook give the slightest cause for concern. He was on 101, the start of a quiet period after reaching his hundred from 180 balls, when for once, he attempted to sweep the left-arm spin of Zulfiqar Babar from on the line of the stumps, a misjudgment, and was struck on the pad. Not out, said the umpire but it went to review and looked bad for him. Instead Hawk-Eye showed the ball to be missing leg stump.
On the first day Cook had escaped lbw on review by a smidgen. Later, when 147, he attempted to sweep Zulfiqar again, top edged, only for a substitute fielder, Fawad Alam, to drop the catch at square leg.
It says much for the determination of Ian Bell, and the soporific nature of the pitch, that he too survived most of the afternoon, after a torrid period before lunch in which he might have been batting blindfold. There is a fundamental difference why Cook, who by the end of this tour may overtake Jacques Kallis as having scored more runs in Asia than any non-Asian (they have the same number of hundreds, eight), succeeds against spin while players such as Bell can struggle.
Essentially, Cook plays with the bat pushed ahead of his pad, while Bell plays bat and pad together, dangerous when the balls slides on from the left-armer. Before the interval he survived lbw shouts and a pad-bat chance to silly point.
After lunch, he was more composed, batting late into the day before he drove a wide ball to backward point, having made 63. That England decided then to send in Mark Wood as the nightwatchman was a laughable decision: there was some justice in that he lasted seven balls and Joe Root had to take the crease after all. There is a time and place and this was not it.
Earlier, Cook and Moeen Ali had taken their opening partnership to 116, Englandâs highest for that wicket since Cook and Adam Lyth put on 177 against New Zealand at Headingley in the summer. Moeen had batted stoically for his 35 from 131 balls almost a role reversal with Cook who had 74 at that stage; until he nibbled outside off stump at one which left him slightly off the pitch and was caught low down by the wicketkeeper.
In 1969, India got a dose of their own medicine in Nagpur. New Zealand took just 40 minutes on the final morning to wrap up a 167-run victory; their first on the subcontinent. It was the spinners who did the damage on a raging turner: Hedley Howarth took 5 for 34 and Vic Pollard 3 for 21 as India collapsed for 109.
As the old saying goes; karma can be a b**ch. One should really consider their actions, if applicable, carefully. People usually don't forget what others have done and will seek any way to extract their revenge.