Ravindra Jadeja made a memorable comeback to international cricket after a five-month absence, taking five wickets in the first innings and following it up with a skillful 70-run performance against Australia in the first match of the four-game series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
He could have sealed the deal with an even more impressive performance if he had stayed inside the line while bowling. On a day where Jadeja appeared to be performing flawlessly, the only blemish was the number of no-balls he bowled.
In the first innings, he dismissed Steve Smith by getting the ball through the gap between his bat and pad. Similarly, he took Smith’s wicket during the 32nd over of the innings, only to later realize that the delivery was not a legal dismissal as his foot had crossed the line while bowling.
The players were ready to end the match after Smith’s dismissal, when suddenly the siren in the background indicated that the game was not yet over due to the no-ball call.
Jadeja dismissed Smith in the same manner as he did in the first innings, but unfortunately it was called a no-ball. The delivery was a length ball with some arm movement, Smith played for spin, leaving a gap between his bat and pad, which the ball went through to hit the middle and leg. However, Jadeja had overstepped the line.