IND V AUS 2020: How many catches did India drop on Day 2 at Adelaide?
The Indian bowlers did an excellent job on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test at Adelaide. Having folded up for 244, the visitors hit back to restrict the hosts to 191.
Ravichandran Ashwin was the star performer for the visitors with 4 for 55. Pacer Umesh Yadav claimed 3 for 40 while Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed both openers, finished with 2 for 52.
While India's bowling was impressive at Adelaide, the same cannot be said about India’s fielding. A number of simple catches, and a few tough ones, went down as India’s horror show in the field continued. They put down a number of simple chances in the ODIs and T20Is as well.
India’s disappointing performance in the field at Adelaide exasperated the legendary Sunil Gavaskar as well. On air when one of the catches went down, he trolled the Indians and quipped:
"All I can think of is the Indians are in a Christmas mood. Giving their Christmas gifts a week early."
So, how many catches did India put down at Adelaide? If we take away the half-chances, there were a total of five that could have been taken - three sitters and two tough ones.
Drop by drop, how Indian fielders aided Australia at Adelaide!
14.4. Saha’s dive not good enough
Moments after Matthew Wade was dismissed at Adelaide, Bumrah squared up Marnus Labuschagne with a good length ball in the corridor. The ball took the edge but evaded both slip and keeper Wriddhiman Saha. The latter dived to his right but the ball went under his glove. A tough chance, but one that should be taken at the Test level.
Labuschagne’s score when he was dropped: 0
17.6: Where’s the boundary? Bumrah doesn’t know
The last ball of the 18th over saw Mohammed Shami testing Labuschagne with a bouncer. The batsman decided to take him on, though a fielder was positioned on the boundary for the shot.
At fine leg, Jasprit Bumrah messed up a regulation catch. Though he was at least a couple of yards inside the boundary rope, he was not aware of the same.
As a result, he jumped to his right needlessly, and tried to put the ball back in play, thinking he would lose his balance and fall over the ropes. The catch was spilled and, to add insult to injury, it went for 4.
Labuschagne’s score when he was dropped: 12
22.4: He came, He Shaw, He dropped
Nothing is going right for Prithvi Shaw in this Test. After the first break on Day 2 at Adelaide, Bumrah got Labuschagne to miscue a short ball straight up the air. Shaw was at square leg, and only had to run a little backwards to take a simple catch. But, he ended up fluffing the chance. He was then bowled for 4 in the second innings.
Labuschagne’s score when he was dropped: 21
54.5: Agarwal increases India’s ‘Paine’
Bumrah bowled a well-directed bouncer at Aussie skipper Tim Paine, who decided to pull it, but failed to control his shot. At the square leg boundary, Mayank Agarwal judged it nicely and went for the reverse-cup. But the ball failed to stick in his hand and popped up.
Paine’s score when he was dropped: 26 (He remained unbeaten on 73 to keep Australia alive in the Adelaide Test)
58.6: Saha spills a skier
To be fair to Saha, this was the toughest of all chances on offer on Day 2 at Adelaide. Another bouncer from Bumrah saw Mitchell Starc top-edging the hook. Saha had to turn around and run backwards. The ball swirled in the air though and the wicket-keeper was unable to judge it. He hung his glove out in hope, but in vain.
Starc’s score when he was dropped: 12
The drop syndrome at Adelaide spread to Australia as Paine put down Agarwal off Pat Cummins in the second over of India's second innings. A desperate dive in front of the first slip, in the dying moments of the day's play, did not yield the desired result.