Watch: Mohammed Siraj takes a jaw-dropping catch after Shakib Al Hasan's misjudged Ashwin delivery
Published - 30 Sep 2024, 11:33 AM | Updated - 30 Sep 2024, 12:35 PM
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Indian cricket team bowlers once again proved too tough to handle for the Bangladesh batters, as the hosts took the upper hand on Day 4 of the ongoing second and final Test at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
Bangladesh’s collapse started with Jasprit Bumrah, and now Mohammed Siraj is making sure to end their bowling term as soon as possible in Kanpur.
After dismissing Litton Das for just 13 runs off 30 balls on Day 4, Siraj yet again stunned one and all with his spectacular fielding efforts to ensure Shakib Al Hasan walked back to the pavilion after facing only 17 balls for 9 runs in the ongoing second and final Test against India.
Mohammed Siraj's spectacular catch ends Shakib Al Hasan's stay, as India tightens grip on Day 4
On the last ball of the 57th over, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin outsmarted Shakib with a beautifully tossed-up delivery, tempting him to go for an aggressive shot. Shakib, looking to attack, stepped out but misjudged the flight and ended up lofting the ball awkwardly.
The ace Bangladesh all-rounder’s bottom hand slipped off the bat, causing him to mistime the shot. As the ball went high, Siraj, who was positioned at mid-off, had to track back quickly. Despite not being in the best position, Siraj pulled off a stunning one-handed catch while leaning backward, making it one of the most spectacular catches in Test cricket.
Watch here Siraj's wonderful catch to dismiss Shakib:
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) September 30, 2024
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) September 30, 2024
Speaking about Ashwin vs Shakib stats, the Bangladesh all-rounder faced 184 balls in 10 innings from the Indian off-spinner in Test cricket. But Ashwin proved to be a formidable opponent, as he dismissed Shakib four times.
He expertly exploited Shakib’s weaknesses while keeping his own strategies hidden, as the Bangladeshi star could manage only 77 runs against Ashwin in Tests so far. Speaking about the Kanpur Test, the Indian bowlers have been bowling brilliantly despite the pitch havingn't provided much assistance to them at the Green Park Stadium.
Indian bowlers making things tough for Bangladesh bowlers
Bumrah and Akash Deep started strong with tight spells, while Siraj tried to change things up with some short deliveries. Ravindra Jadeja bowled a stump-to-stump line. However, the standout bowler has been Ravichandran Ashwin. He came into the attack after the drinks break and has been a joy to watch with his clever variations.
The offspinner has bowled slower deliveries to deceive the batters. On the other hand, Mominul Haque managed to secure his 13th Test century in the final over before the lunch break. He was dropped by Virat Kohli and could be a headache for India in the ongoing second and final Test, as Bangladesh already crossed the 200-run mark with four wickets in hands in Kanpur.
Notably, Mominul’s impressive ton marked only the second century by a visiting player in Kanpur over the last ten Tests since 1984. The only other instance was Andrew Hall's 163 in 2004. After the ongoing Kanpur Test, India and Bangladesh will play three T20Is from October 6.
