Six cringeworthy moments from the second season of The Test documentary on Australia’s cricket team

From the ouster of Justin Langer as Australia head coach to the importance of a first Test series in Pakistan in 24 years to discussions of mental health and racism, serious conversations quickly spring up on The Test.

But Amazon’s behind-the-scenes documentary on the Australian cricket team, which opens on January 13, also manages to shine a light on the more laid-back aspects of Test cricket.

And it often does so reluctantly, with some of the players coming across as terribly picky, partial to bewildering culinary options, or absurdly finicky.

Here sports mail Check out the most awkward moments from the documentary.

Marnus Labuschagne’s toast

The best batsman in the world as ranked by the International Cricket Council, Marnus Labuschagne’s appetite for scoring runs knows no bounds.

And if Episode 1 is anything to go by, his appetite for ham and cheese toasties is just as voracious, and the Aussie star admits he likes a snack before a test day of cricket.

However, Labuschagne’s culinary skills are unlikely to outshine his hitting any time soon. In the series opener, the 28-year-old is filmed making toast in his dressing room and reveals that “butter is the key to making it crispy on both sides.”

So far, all normal. But things take a sinister turn when Labuschagne nonchalantly proceeds to tell the camera that sticking piping hot toast in the fridge is his culinary secret.

This is the trick of the trade. Now, not many people do this, but I like a piece of toast to be cold. So [it goes] in the fridge to harden the cheese.

In fact, not many people do this, Marnus. And for a very good reason.

EPISODE 1 – 25:18-25:27

Mitchell Starc limit

Labuschagne features prominently again at the start of the second episode, his dressing room etiquette seemingly as questionable as his cheese-toast-making habits.

In the words of Mitchell Starc, Labuschagne is one of “the messiest guys in our bunch.” The mess of him just expands.

To prevent such expansion, the speedy Aussie carefully places tape on the floor to set clear boundaries for the star batsman and prevent him from encroaching on his personal space.

Labuschange, unsurprisingly, has none of that: “I’m not saying I’m not messy, but I’m not the messiest,” he replies.

EPISODE 2 – 2:30-2:36

Baggy Green Mythology

Few if any teams, even outside of cricket boundaries, place as much importance on an item as Australia’s Test cricketers do with the Baggy Green.

Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer fully embraced the garment and its meaning, while Shane Warne preferred the white floppy hat.

The perceived misplaced importance surrounding the Baggy Green has made it an easy stick to beat Australian cricket with and The Test puts it pretty tough when it comes to its inflated mythology.

“We don’t feel like we own Baggy Green,” Mitchell Marsh declares in the opening episode.

“We understand the privilege we have to wear Baggy Green, represent our country and hopefully do a few things along the way.”

EPISODE 1 – 29:36 – 29:39, 29:49 – 29:55

An awkward silence greets Pat Cummins

Anyone who’s ever been to a work meeting knows that it can be pretty awkward business, especially when the room is open to questions, as Pat Cummins discovers early in Episode 3.

As the players gather at their hotel in Rawalpindi, the Australian captain looks to gauge his team’s state of mind in their first meeting since the bitter departure of Justin Langer.

‘Since we last met a few weeks ago, obviously [there’s been] a change of coach,’ says Cummins.

‘I guess more than anything [else, I want to] to open [the floor] if anyone had any questions or thoughts or wanted some clarification on any of that?’

Viewers could be forgiven for thinking they accidentally switched to an episode of The Office, such is the eerie silence their question is met with, with gamers sheepishly looking around in the hope that one of their teammates might answer.

Except nobody does. ‘Everyone okay?’ Cummins muses as he looks around the room, nodding to himself.

We have all been there.

EPISODE 3 – 8:06-8:25

The nascent tennis career of David Warner

Episode 3 delves into what goes into ensuring that boredom doesn’t set in on the tour of Pakistan, with Australia effectively confined to their hotel.

While Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc play Call of Duty, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne get into a fight on the tennis court.

“I hate to admit it, but the unforced errors are getting the better of me,” Warner tells the camera, as Labuschagne pleads in vain for some credit.

‘As a rookie I am improving. I expect them to beat me 6-0, 6-0 but I’m fighting hard’

There’s nothing wrong with that, except that the footage shows Warner looking anything but a rookie on the court, freely playing the kind of shots many amateur players can only dream of.

Labuschagne, however, is determined to have the last word.

“That’s what happens when you don’t score runs,” he jokes. ‘You have to go out and play tennis’

Step aside Nick Kyrgios, there may be a new man in town in Australian tennis.

EPISODE 3 27:55-28:15, 28:30 –

Steve Smith is ‘a weird person’

From flamboyant blades to his fidgety stance in the crease, Steve Smith’s idiosyncrasies have long been a part of cricketing folklore.

But even by his own standards, his meticulousness reaches a whole new level in Episode 4, where the former Australian captain is shown removing the foam from the thumbs of his gloves to soften it up.

Smith is almost aware of how nerdy the whole process sounds when he explains it to a bewildered Glenn Maxwell.

“You’re a weirdo,” the multitalented man declares, to which Smith replies, “I am, that’s right.”

EPISODE 4 25:36-25:54