Watch: Mohammed Siraj, Virat Kohli celebrate Steve Smith's wicket in his face with Rishabh Pant's worldie

Team India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss first-innings centurion Steve Smith during the fifth day of the third Test against Australia. After a promising century in the first innings of the match, Steve Smith fell cheaply for 4, edging a Mohammed Siraj delivery to Rishabh Pant.

The third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 seemed headed for a draw after India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep teamed up for a crucial 10th-wicket partnership to avoid the follow-on. However, India turned the game around by taking quick wickets, leaving Australia struggling at 4-28.

Watch: Rishabh Pant Takes a Stunner to Remove Steve Smith

Steve Smith was the fifth batter to be dismissed in Australia's second innings at the Gabba on Wednesday, December 18. Mohammed Siraj picked up his first wicket of the day after conceding a four off the previous ball. Siraj bowled a good-length delivery on the leg side, and Smith ended up playing at it.

The right-handed batter edged it towards Rishabh Pant, who dived to his left to complete the catch. Smith had to depart to the dressing room after scoring just four runs off five balls. Siraj was absolutely fired up after picking up the wicket.

"Rishabh Pandey has taken it. Steve Smith is walking. This is a sensational passage of play here," veteran Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle said.

Take a look at the video of the incident below:

Steve Smith strolled down the pitch to Mohammed Siraj one ball and was gone the next 👀 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/TPpdBCT9of

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 18, 2024

Mohammed Siraj Dismissed for One Run in India's First Innings on Day 4

On a rain-affected day four, Bumrah and Akash Deep helped India avoid the follow-on with 33 runs still needed when they joined at the crease. The Indian lower-order batters frustrated the Australian pace attack. Akash edged a boundary past Nathan McSweeney off Pat Cummins to cross the follow-on score.

Pat Cummins (4-80) and Mitchell Starc (3-83) worked hard to take wickets in Josh Hazlewood’s absence after he sustained a calf injury. Kerry O’Keeffe said that the conditions took a toll on both bowlers. O’Keeffe stated that they didn’t run out of steam completely, but they fell short of achieving their goals.

“That’s the problem. There was petrol soaked out of the Cummins/Starc tanks. They weren’t running on empty, but if you looked at them, the face of Pat Cummins and the strain on Mitchell Starc – it was debilitating the conditions – and they actually failed to achieve what they wanted to,” O’Keeffe declared.

“Given they’re a man down without Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh is not quite trusted to bowl long spells, this is a depleted Australia limping into day five. The prospects are that if they try and win it, they’re undermanned.”

Also read: Gautam Gambhir blocked from dropping Ravindra Jadeja as Ex-cricketer blasts India's big failure in BGT