Not only did Ravichandran Ashwin return to form with the ball, he also set the fielding standards on Day 2 of the third Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With Daryl Mitchell and Will Young stitching up a 50-run partnership, a moment of magic was needed to break it. That moment of magic was provided by Ashwin. Not reputed for being lightning quick in the outfield, Ashwin completed a tremendous catch, running back from mid-on.
Mitchell had skied a delivery by Ravindra Jadeja, but a catch would’ve been difficult for Ashwin who would have to run back from mid-on and then put in a diving effort. But that is exactly what he did.
Watch: Fan angle of Ashwin’s sensational catch to dismiss Daryl Mitchell
What a catch by Ashwin #INDvsNZ @NorthStandGang pic.twitter.com/clE151nCEo
— Nishant Jhangiani (@NishantJhangian) November 2, 2024
The catch was called by several X users as the greatest catch of Ashwin’s career.
THE GREATEST CATCH OF ASHWIN’s CAREER
Wankhede erupts like crazy!!!#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/Vs05vBxTaa
— Vinesh Prabhu (@vlp1994) November 2, 2024
R Ashwin Anna takes a screamer! The best catch of his career #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ #CricketTwitter
pic.twitter.com/L0MLRia7Cu
— Himanshu (@himanshux_) November 2, 2024
“I was just telling myself that it’s going to anyway leave me, I wanted to get as close to the ball as possible and and I’ve got great hands, so I trusted my hands to go through with it,” said Ashwin, speaking about the match after Stumps on Day 2.
Even at the age of 38, Ashwin ran back a significant amount and then took it with a spectacular diving effort, drawing the applause of a passionate Wankhede crowd.
That wicket triggered New Zealand’s collapse in the second innings, as they then went on to lose their next five wickets for just 77 runs.
From 94/3, New Zealand ended Day 2 firmly on the backfoot at 171/9, with a lead of only 143. Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets, taking his match haul to nine, while Ashwin took three wickets of his own.
A memorable moment during Ashwin’s spell was his wicket of Glenn Phillips. The New Zealand all-rounder had slammed Ashwin for two sixes in the first three balls of an over. However, Ashwin knocked off his stumps in that very over, as Phillips was left bamboozled by Ashwin’s carrom ball.
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