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India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is considered as one of the world’s best fielders. His acrobatic skills, bullet-arm throw and ability to turn the game makes him one of the finest fielders of the modern-day cricket.
Jadeja proved his brilliance once again when he got rid of Australia’s prolific batsman Steve Smith with a rocket throw in the ongoing 3rd Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday.
Smith played a brilliant 131-run knock and became the first Australian to score a century in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. It was Smith’s 27th Test century in the longest format and 8th against India. The inspirational inning also helped Australia to go beyond 300 runs for the first time in the series.
In the 106th over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, Smith played the ball with soft hands and guided it on the leg side to get a couple. However, Jadeja ran to his right from square leg, picked up the ball and hit the bulls-eye at the striker’s end to cut short Smith’s inning.
Here is the video:
https://twitter.com/Kourageous__/status/1347391065901453312
Jadeja shined with the ball
Apart from running Smith out, Jadeja dazzled with the ball as well. The left-armer picked up four wickets for 62 runs and claimed his third-best bowling figures on foreign soil.
Jadeja’s best figures away from home (Tests):
- 6/138 v SA Johannesburg 2013/14
- 5/152 v SL Colombo SSC 2017
- 4/62 v Aus Sydney 2020/21 *
- 4/79 v Eng The Oval 2018
Jadeja first broke the dangerous third-wicket stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Smith in the 71st over. He dismissed Labuschagne for 91 runs. The Jamnagar-lad then took his second wicket when he removed Matthew Wade (13).
Jadeja cleaned up Pat Cummins for a duck to earn his third wicket and trapped Nathan Lyon on nought to get his fourth scalp.
At stumps on Day 2, India were trailing by 242 runs with eight wickets in hand. Shubman Gill was the top-scorer for the visitors with 50 off 101 deliveries before he was sent back by Cumins in the 33rd over.
