IND V AUS 2020: ‘Giving their Christmas gifts a week early’ - Sunil Gavaskar trolls India for dropping Marnus Labuschagne twice
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin kept India in the hunt on Day 2 of the Adelaide Test with their excellent bowling. However, poor fielding efforts let the visitors down to an extent as Australian star batsman Marnus Labuschagne was let off twice.
Burmah and Prithvi Shaw dropped sitters on either side of the first break, and referring to the missed chances, Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar clearly wasn’t impressed with India’s lackadaisical effort in the field.
Soon after Shaw dropped Marnus Labuschagne off Bumrah on 21, Gavaskar, who was on commentary, took a hilarious dig at the Indians over their disappointing fielding. He was heard saying -
"All I can think of is the Indians are in a Christmas mood. Giving their Christmas gifts a week early."
Marnus Labuschagne lives a charmed life
Australia’s No.3 batsman Labuschagne was the beneficiary of both dropped catches. Off the last ball of the 18th over, Marnus Labuschagne top edged a short ball to fine leg.
What needed to be a regulation catch for Bumrah was grassed, much to the horror of the Indian team members on the ground. Though he was a couple of yards inside the boundary, Bumrah leapt to his right while trying to take the catch, and failed to judge it properly. To add salt to the wounds, the ball even trickled away for four.
Later, early in the second session, Bumrah got Marnus Labuschagne to miscue a short ball straight up the air. At square leg, Shaw only had to run a little backwards and pouch the catch. But, even though the youngster made good ground, he put down what was another simple chance.
Ashwin, Bumrah put India in command
Even as Marnus Labuschagne took advantage of India’s lapses in the field, Ravichandran Ashwin and Bumrah combined to keep India ahead in the Adeaide Test on Day 2.
Ashwin claimed the massive wicket of Steve Smith (1) before adding the scalps of Travis Head (7) and debutant Cameron Green (11) to his tally. Before Ashwin’s triple strike, Bumrah had dismissed both the Australian openers, Matthew Wade and Joe Burns.
At Tea on Day 2, Australia were in trouble at 92/5 after 48 overs.