Watch: Irfan Pathan reacts to Mitchell Starc’s bail-switch as his quirky trick sets up Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal

Players from both India and Australia are giving it all to win the matches in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which is currently poised at 1-1 following the third Test match that ended in a draw at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Currently, India and Australia are up against each other in the must-win Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. Australia had won the toss and opted to bat first and posted a mammoth total of 474 runs on the board in their first innings against India.

Yashasvi Jaiswal shines amid India’s batting struggles in Boxing Day Test

While Steve Smith scored 140, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, and Sam Konstas all hit a fifty to help Australia dominate the game from the first innings. Captain Pat Cummins also played a brilliant knock of 49 runs against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.

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However, Indian batters yet again faltered in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, as their top order and middle order once again failed to fire in this crucial Test match in Melbourne, except for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played a stunning knock of 82 runs against Australia.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s wicket sparked a dramatic batting collapse, and they lost three wickets for just 38 runs. India began strongly on Day 3, but the Australian pacer Mitchell Starc’s unusual tactic did wonders for the hosts, as Ravindra Jadeja lost his wicket to Nathan Lyon early in the morning at the MCG.

Mitchell Starc’s unusual tactic adds to India’s woes in the MCG

Before Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket, Mitchell Starc did a ‘totka,’ removing the stump bails and then fixing them back in the 65th over, and in the same over, the Australian spinner Nathan Lyon shattered the Indian all-rounder’s defense to send him back to the pavilion on Day 3.

Earlier, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj had adopted this trick and at that time, it worked, as Nitish Kumar Reddy had gotten the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne. And this time, Mitchell Starc’s tactic did wonders in favor of Nathan Lyon to remove Ravindra Jadeja in the ongoing Boxing Day Test.

Reacting to Starc doing a bail-switch trick for Jadeja, the former Indian all-rounder commentator Irfan Pathan found it funny, as he felt the senior pacer did this unusual tactic for himself as he was struggling to get a wicket since the Australian team was already in a strong position in the match at the MCG.

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Irfan Pathan amused by Mitchell Starc’s bail-switch during Boxing Day Test drama

Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports during the commentary: “Even after Australia being in this position, if you need to remove the bail, then Mitchell Starc is thinking about himself because he didn't get the wicket. He wants the wicket.”

#Australia follows the bail swapping ritual, and it pays off instantly! 🫣#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 4th Test, Day 3 | LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/1mAPvyNY6w

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 28, 2024

Speaking about Jadeja’s wicket, Lyon trapped Ravindra LBW, as the Indian all-rounder was struck on the pads. The Australian spinner bowled a slider, angled in from outside off, and Jadeja tried to flick it with a closed bat face. However, he missed, and the ball hit his back leg.

But Jadeja decided to take the review, which confirmed no contact with the bat, as Snicko showed a clear gap between the bat and the ball. However, the ball-tracking confirmed that it clipped the top of the middle and off stumps.

Jadeja seemed rushed by the delivery’s skiddy nature and got caught off balance with the decision to stay as the umpire's call, and he had to return after making 17 runs in the ongoing crucial fourth BGT 2024-25 Test at the MCG.