[Watch] Hanuma Vihari drops Jonny Bairstow off Mohammed Siraj's bowling in the ongoing fifth Test between India and England
England's in-form batter Jonny Bairstow got a big reprieve on Day 4 (July 4) of the ongoing fifth Test against India after Hanuma Vihari dropped a pretty straightforward chance off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj.
During the 38th over of England's run-chase, Mohammed Siraj succeeded in taking the outside edge of Jonny Bairstow's bat. The ball flew straight to Hanuma Vihari, who was standing at slip. However, the fielder couldn't get hold of the ball and dropped the catch.
To make matters worse, the ball trickled down to the boundary and England accumulated four more runs. The bowler was disappointed with Hanuma Vihari's efforts.
Watch the video of the dropped catch below:
The drop could prove to be costly for Team India, who are defending a target of 378 in the Test series decider. Jonny Bairstow has been in tremendous form in red-ball cricket this year. He was the top scorer for England with 106 runs in their first innings of the ongoing Test.
1️⃣1️⃣ Test hundreds
1️⃣1️⃣ ODI hundreds
A special cricketer in all formats, @jbairstow21 🙌
🏴 #ENGvIND 🇮🇳 https://t.co/SEWTFNciMG
The hosts were off to a promising start in their second innings as their openers stitched together an impressive 107-run stand. While India did pick up two wickets to get back into the game, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root steadied the ship for their team with a gutsy partnership.
How has Mohammed Siraj fared in the fifth Test against England?
Mohammed Siraj impressed with his inspiring bowling spell during England's first innings. The right-armer picked up four wickets and helped India secure a crucial lead of 132 runs.
However, the talented pacer hasn't been able to make a significant impact in the final innings of the contest. The England batters have looked comfortable against Siraj and he has proved to be expensive.
At the time of writing, Siraj has bowled nine overs on Day 4 and conceded 54 runs. He is yet to pick up a single wicket.