WI vs IND [WATCH]: Mohammed Siraj takes a ‘Superman-Esque’ catch to dismiss Jermaine Blackwood in 1st Test

The first Test match between West Indies and India got off to an exciting start as Mohammed Siraj stunned everyone with a breathtaking catch to dismiss Jermaine Blackwood. The catch, which had a hint of Superman-like heroics, occurred on the last ball before the lunch break on Day 1.

Winning the toss, West Indies captain Kraig Brathwaite elected to bat first, setting the stage for an intense battle between the two teams. The match also witnessed the Test debuts of Alick Athanaze for the hosts and Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the visitors.
In the first session of play, it was Siraj who stole the limelight with an impossible fielding effort. It all happened during the 28th over when Blackwood attempted a big hit down the ground off Ravindra Jadeja‘s bowling. However, he mistimed the shot, resulting in the ball catching the outer half of the blade and slicing towards mid-off.

What happened next left spectators in awe. Siraj, positioned at mid-off, displayed incredible athleticism as he back-pedaled and extended his right hand to pluck the ball out of thin air. Diving with full tilt towards his left-hand side, Siraj completed an extraordinary catch, leaving everyone amazed.

Here is the video:

Miyaan Bhai ki daring 😯 #INDvWIonFanCode #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/LUdvAmmbVr
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 12, 2023

The catch by Siraj proved to be a crucial breakthrough for India, as they dominated the first session, picking up four wickets and restricting the home team to just 68 runs. Earlier, India’s pacers struggled to find success initially, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Brathwaite showing resilience at the crease.

However, the breakthrough finally came when Ravichandran Ashwin was introduced into the attack. He produced a skidding delivery that dismantled Chanderpaul’s stumps, providing the much-needed breakthrough. Brathwaite followed suit, attempting an ill-advised slog across the line and finding his counterpart Rohit Sharma at covers.

Shardul Thakur then got into the act, snaring the wicket of Raymon Reifer with a well-directed delivery that induced an edge. Blackwood and debutant Athanaze provided some stability with a solid partnership, but just when it seemed they would reach the lunch break unscathed, Blackwood fell victim to his aggressive instincts, losing his wicket in an attempt to take on the bowler.