Video: How Ishant Sharma caused the downfall of Matt Renshaw in Ranchi Test
India are slowly on their way to claiming a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after reducing the visitors to 83 for 4 at Lunch on the final day. Critically though from an Indian perspective, skipper Steve Smith, who has scored runs at vital junctures, was sent back to the pavilion after he left a ball that turned and hit the off-stump.
However, the wicket of Smith was not the only piece of action during the course of the two hours.
In the 28th over of the innings, pacer Ishant Sharma found himself in the centre of action. Running into bowl the opening delivery, the lanky pacer was stopped by batsman Matt Renshaw, who swayed away from the crease due to an issue behind the sight screen.
Clearly not amused by that, Ishant vented his frustration out by hurling the ball away. The umpires were not too happy with the bowler’s reaction and had a word with Virat Kohli, asking him to perhaps calm the pacer down.
The next couple of balls passed without much action as Renshaw defended two contrasting deliveries- one that kept low and the other that rose a bit higher than he expected.
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Off the fifth ball, Ishant got one to keep low again and the ball rapped Renshaw on his pads and the umpire Ian Gould raised his finger to send the left-hander back to the pavilion.
You would not maybe call it a wicket that was well setup, but surely you could say that the actions in the first ball of the over had an impact on the bowler, who ran in with greater verve and eventually completed his motive.
With two sessions to go in the game, it does seem like an uphill task for the Australians to draw this game, particularly if you consider the way Jadeja is bowling and generating purchase off the wicket.
India have been in the driver’s seat in this game since the opening session of Day 4 and they will look to complete the job on Monday and head into Dharamshala with the series lead in their favour.