Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith pulled off a shocking catch to dismiss India’s Cheteshwar Pujara at leg slip within the third Test on Thursday.
Smith’s one-handed catch modified the course of the sport as Pujara, who was batting on 59, patiently and slowly fought again to rebuild the Indian innings alone after the remainder of the top-order crumbled .
Australian nice Ian Healy was notably impressed by Smith’s catch and described it as top-of-the-line he had ever seen.
Could this be a match turning catch? @SteveSmith49 dismiss @cheteshwar1 set for 59 #INDvAUS #Classic pic.twitter.com/RFHO4lEdWV
— Simone Hughes (@theanalyst) March 2, 2023
“Pujara’s dismissal, I’ve just seen it, it’s one of the greatest catches in the history of cricket, it’s as good as it gets,” Healy stated on SENQ Breakfast.
“With his outdated cobbler’s again, he had a foul disc, however that takes me again to Mark Waugh.
“It would be Bobby Simpson, it would be every best slip fielder in the history of cricket, he would have loved to take that catch.”
Healy believed that Smith’s catch was above the remainder as he was in no place to pluck the ball that appeared to undergo the center of the batsman’s bat.
Given that the ball was effectively hit by Pujara, Smith’s effort was purely offside because the ball clipped his proper arm.
“He lined up wide at leg-slip,” stated Healy.
“He was in for one which spins, bounces, will get the within edge or shoulder of the bat over the hip or pad that balloons vast to leg-slip.
“But he gets a full leg glance which was right in front of the wicket-keeper.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon tore by way of the Indian batting on the second day to finish with eight wickets and take his staff one step nearer to a uncommon win in India.
Now, Australia want simply 76 runs to finish a memorable Test win in India.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
