In the second Test of the four-match series against Australia, Indian spinners again dominated the touring party as Ravichandran Jadeja registered his career-best bowling figures while his partner Ravichandran Ashwin scalped three wickets to bundle out Australia for 113 on the first session of Day 3.
India achieved the set target of 115 runs for the loss of 4 wickets, with Cheteshwar Pujara (31 not out) and Srikar Bharat (23 not out) leading the way. The home team went 2-0 up in the series and also retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the record third time.
Before picking the big wicket of Steve Smith in the first hour of the third day’s play, Ashwin also gave the former Australian skipper a run-scare at the non-striker’s end. The veteran off-spinner stopped in his delivery stride, seemingly to remind Smith to stay inside his crease.
It all happened in the 15th over of the second innings. Ashwin – bowling to Marnus Labuschagne – didn’t release the ball, leaving the non-striker Smith in a panic situation. Ashwin didn’t try to run out the batter, but he was well amused at it.
Ex-India captain Virat Kohli, who was standing at first slip at the time, burst into laughter and even clapped in amusement.
Relive the moment here:
😄 #Smithy #INDvAUS #Virat pic.twitter.com/2MZqLBxnbb
— Kumar Sourav (@AdamDhoni1) February 20, 2023
Ashwin has remained quite vocal about the mode of dismissal, informally called the Mankad, which was finally included in the ‘run out’ rules made by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) last year. Though the dismissal remains debatable in many countries, India women’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma ran non-striker Charlie Dean during an ODI match on their previous tour of England.
