Team India got off to a shaky start in the second ODI against Australia in Visakhapatnam after being invited to bat by Steve Smith. Continuing from where he left, Aussie quick Mitchell Starc made didn’t take long to make inroads as he removed Shubman Gill in the first over. (Follow: India vs Australia, 2nd ODI Live Score)
Two overs later, Starc went to pack captain Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive balls to put the hosts on backfoot. The damage by Starc continued as he went to remove KL Rahul for 9 (12), accounting for his fourth wicket in just six overs.
While Starc led the damage with the ball, Smith rubbed more salt to India’s wounds by completing an outrageous catch while fielding at slips.
Smith produced the effort in the 10th over of the innings, when he flew to his right and plucked an one-handed beauty to get rid of Hardik Pandya for 1 (3) off Sean Abbott’s bowling.
Sanjay Manjrekar, who was commentating at the moment, also asked his colleagues if they can name this as the “catch of the century”.
The ball by Abbott was slightly short of a good length, forcing Hardik Pandya to go for a drive. He does the same but with no feet movement and it takes a thick outside edge, which at one moment will go wide off the slip fielder.
However, Smith plunges to his right and stuns everyone with his Superman effort.
Here is the video:
Meanwhile, India find themselves in a spot of bother having being reduced to 91/7 in 19.3 overs. Ravindra Jadeja was the last batter dismissed after being caught-behind by Alex Carey off Nathan Ellis’ bowling.
Axar Patel remains India’s lone hope as the tailenders have arrived in the middle, with Kuldeep Yadav batting on the opposite end. He will be followed by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.
