Australians do not give you many opportunities but when they give you one, you should take it gleefully or else you will be soon bitten again. For Steven Smith, it was a ‘once bitten, twice shy’ moment. Cheteshwar Pujara was new to the wicket when Abhinav Mukund had just been dismissed. Pujara and Rahul were looking to stitch a partnership and get the innings back on track. Pujara edged one off Nathan Lyon to Steven Smith who was at first slip, low towards his left. He dropped it when India were at 47 for 1.
After half an hour, when India had got the things moving and were at 84 scoring at a steady run rate, KL Rahul went to play an expansive drive off O’Keefe. Rahul, who had just reached his fifty, got a thick edge and sent the ball flying through the second slip. Steven Smith, who was stationed at first slip, went airborne to his right, in the air off the ground. The ball got stuck on his right hand. It was truly a one-handed blinder by the visiting captain.
On the other hand, Kohli dropped a couple of important catches yesterday, which may have cost India 20 extra runs—nothing but gold on this pitch.
Unreal.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/kZ3aSX8HdU
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 6, 2017
Currently, India is again fighting in this Test to regain their supremacy at home. India’s famous 19-Test unbeaten streak was eclipsed last week when India were humiliated by visitors Australia.
Australia have their noses in front in this Test as well, but India is crawling back it seems.
