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NEW DELHI: Fast bowlers thrive on swing. They become more dangerous when the ball swings prodigiously to leave the batsmen flummoxed.
But what if the ball swings so much that leaves even the fielders stunned?
That’s exactly what happened on the third day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the MCG for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 127-run stand between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar was still in the initial stage and the follow-on threat still loomed large for India.
With India 7 wickets down, the Aussies were going for the kill and Pat Cummins had taken the second new ball as soon it became available and brought Mitchell Starc back in the attack.
This was the first time in eight Tests that India had made the opposition take second new ball in their first innings. The last instance came against Bangladesh in Chennai in September.
On strike against Starc was Sundar and the third delivery of the over was full and sliding down leg. Sundar looked to flick and the bottom hand came off the bat handle.
The ball hit the back side of the bat and flew low to second slip, where Steve Smith dived across to his right with one hand but could not hang on.
Standing at second slip, Smith was clearly surprised that it came to him from outside leg stump and so were the rest of the Australian players.
Even the commentators were surprised by the delivery and one of them said, “It’s a one-handed leg glance to second slip. I have never seen that.”
India were 358/9 in response to Australia’s 474 when play was called off early due to rain.
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