'Nightmare' drops haunt Aussies in India

1 year ago 75

Steve Smith is presently 5th connected Australia's all-time tally for astir Test catches with 151 successful 93 matches. Only New Zealand's Stephen Fleming has taken much Test catches astatine a faster rate.

Yet those skills went missing for Australia's vice-captain successful the slips connected day 2 of the Nagpur Test against India.

The 33-year-old dropped 2 catches successful an uncharacteristic show that near his squad frustrated astatine times.

With Rohit Sharma unbeaten connected 118 astatine the time, Pat Cummins recovered an extracurricular borderline from the rival skipper erstwhile Australia took the 2nd caller shot aft the beverage break.

But Smith couldn't clasp onto the drawback astatine 2nd slip, leaving the the Aussie vice-captain shaking his caput aft Sharma's innings had stretched 211 deliveries. Fortunately Sharma was gone the adjacent shot erstwhile helium was cleanable bowled by Cummins.

Then connected the 2nd past shot of the day, Nathan Lyon, bowling his 37th implicit of the innings, thought helium had claimed an extracurricular borderline of Ravindra Jadeja's bat, yet Smith couldn't clasp connected again astatine archetypal slip. Lyon was visibly frustrated by the driblet arsenic Smith picked himself up disconnected the ground.

In commentary, Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar said: "Tough time for Steve Smith, he'll consciousness it. he's a bully catcher."

Former Australian batter Matthew Hayden said successful commentary: "What a nightmare this is for a slips fieldsman.

"Sort of remained unsighted there. Should person made a amended effort than that. Concentration origin – 2nd past shot of the day. Bang. Gotta beryllium on!"

Sharma’s 120 was his ninth trial 100 wide arsenic India reached 321-7 astatine stumps successful its archetypal innings. The hosts pb Australia by 144 runs aft the visitors were bundled retired for 177.

Jadeja and Axar Patel added 81 runs for the eighth wicket to further property location India’s advantage. Jadeja was unbeaten connected 66 runs, portion Patel was batting connected 52 not out.

Off-spinner Todd Murphy finished the time with 5-82 successful his debut test.

India went to luncheon astatine 151-3 but Murphy dismissed Virat Kohli (12) disconnected the archetypal shot aft the restart arsenic helium was caught behind. Nathan Lyon provided a helping manus and bowled Suryakumar Yadav for 8 runs to enactment India connected 168-5, earlier Sharma managed to rebuild the innings with Jadeja.

The duo enactment connected 61 runs disconnected 130 balls, with Sharma reaching his 100 disconnected 171 balls.

India went past 200 successful 70.1 overs, and went to the beverage interruption astatine 226-5.

Murphy reached his five-wicket milestone by trapping debutant Srikar Bharat (8) lbw.

Jadeja and Patel, however, defied the Australian bowling for the remainder of the last league with a basal that lasted 185 balls successful total. Jadeja reached his half-century disconnected 114 balls, portion Patel got to 50 disconnected 94 balls.

The four-match bid could find which teams suffice for the World Test Championship last successful June, with Australia and India presently successful archetypal and 2nd spots.

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