In the first innings of the second Test, Team India’s prominent spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dealt a significant blow to Australia by claiming the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in the span of just three deliveries.
Ashwin secured Labuschagne’s wicket by hitting the stumps, and then, with the following delivery, induced an outside edge off Steve Smith to send him back to the pavilion. These rapid wickets meant that Australia went to Lunch with three batters down, having put up 94 runs on the scoreboard in 25 overs so far.
Marnus Labuschagne had a confident start to his innings, scoring 18 runs off 24 deliveries, when Ashwin provided a critical breakthrough for Team India. Bowling from around the wicket, Ashwin made the ball straighten.
Although the umpire did not declare it out, the spinner advised captain Rohit Sharma to seek a review, which resulted in Ashwin’s first wicket of the match.
It was now up to Steve Smith to lead a recovery for the Australian team, but he could only last two balls. On the last delivery of the over, Smith edged the ball and it carried to wicketkeeper KS Bharat, who successfully caught it despite the ball staying relatively low.
