Last Updated: February 09, 2023, 13:36 IST
Steve Smith reaction before andafter getting out (Twitter)
IND v AUS, BGT 1st Test: Steve Smith was bowled clean by Ravindra Jadeja after applauding a similar delivery earlier in his innings
Ravindra Jadeja spun his magic around the Australian batters on the first day of the opening Test of the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha in Nagpur on Thursday.
After sending back Marnus Labuschagne and Peter Handscome for a golden duck, Jadeja cleaned up Steven Smith for his third wicket.
Jadeja bowled it on a length on the off stump as Smith got forward to play for the turn, which never came. The ball went through with the arm and beat Smith all ends up, sneaking through the gap between bat and pad to smash into the off stump.
IND v OFF, 1st Test, Day 1: FOLLOW LIVE
Smith was shocked and stood in utter amazement after being dismissed, almost not being able to comprehend what just happened.
Watch Steve Smith’s Dismissal –
Earlier, he had applauded a similar delivery from Jadeja, which missed the stumps by a hair, by showing an exaggerated ‘thumbs up’.
Smith and Labuschagne had fought back to help Australia recover from losing their openers to reach 76-2 at lunch. The pair of Labuschagne and Smith rebuilt after the early dismissals of Usman Khawaja and David Warner on a Nagpur pitch expected to turn viciously.
Seamer Mohammed Siraj struck on his first ball to get Khawaja trapped lbw for one with a delivery that swung into the left-hander after the tourists won the toss and elected to bat first.
An appeal was turned down by the on-field umpire but India successfully reviewed the decision, much to the delight of coach Rahul Dravid, who pumped his fists in the pavilion.
Mohammed Shami soon raised the noise in the next over when the seamer bowled the left-handed Warner for one, coming around the wicket to send the off-stump cartwheeling.
Spin was introduced in the seventh over with left-arm orthodox Ravindra Jadeja coming into the attack after his return to the team from a career-threatening knee injury.
Labuschagne and Smith remained cautious in their approach as a few turning deliveries flew past their bats on the dry pitch.
Labuschagne, the world number-one Test batsman, looked assured as he hit eight boundaries. Smith survived a dropped catch on six when Virat Kohli failed to grab a sharp chance at slip.
Australia, led by Pat Cummins, dropped left-hander Travis Head and gave off-spinner Todd Murphy his international debut.
Rohit Sharma-led India handed Test caps to Twenty20 sensation Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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