[Watch] Cameron Green takes a blinder to break Ajinkya Rahane's century dream in WTC Final
It took an absolutely stunning catch from Australian all-rounder Cameron Green to overturn Ajinkya Rahane's lady luck and cut his dream comeback knock short of a century on Day 3 of the 2023 World Test Championship Final at the Oval.
On the final ball of the 62nd over, Pat Cummins bowled short and wide to Rahane who tried to punch it away from his body and got a thick edge. It traveled so quickly that Green, positioned at gully, didn't even have time to follow the ball. He simply stretched and threw his right hand for it on intuition and plucked it out of thin air.
Here's a video of the wicket:
Rahane looked in excellent touch but had to go back after Lunch for 89, just 11 short of what could have been a dream comeback century, leaving India struggling at 261-7.
Since his debut, Green has made the gully position his own with his superb fielding aided by an athletic two-meter-tall body. However, earlier in the match, he had dropped a much simpler catch to give Shardul Thakur a reprieve.
Both batters had multiple lives. They survived one LBW each because of no-balls from Cummins and saw multiple catches being dropped behind the stumps, making fans believe that a comeback is perhaps meant to be.
India avoid the follow-on but still miles behind after Ajinkya Rahane's wicket
Ajinkya Rahane's dismissal extinguished that last glimmer of hope for India. Umesh Yadav replaced the former vice-captain on the field and hit a boundary that helped India avoid a follow-on and got out.
Shardul Thakur, who has survived more chances than his partner and has copped a few blows to his body, is still on the crease but is slowly running out of partners. His task would be to somehow push India to 300 and then it'll be on the bowlers to rectify their mistakes from the first innings and make what they can of this match.
You can catch all the live-action here!