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KL Rahul and Steve Smith (Source-X)
Australian batter Steve Smith started Day 4 of the Gabba Test against India with a dropped catch on the very first ball of the day. KL Rahul was batting on 33 to give Indian fans huge relief to start the 4th day of the third Test match in Brisbane. Indian opener KL Rahul went on to score 84 runs before he was finally snapped up in the slips by Smith, much to the relief of the star cricketer.
Nathan Lyon was bowling to KL Rahul as the batter was batting well and looking well set to score a century. In the third ball of the 43rd over, Rahul went for a square cut, and the ball was travelling at a rapid pace. Smith put his right hand and took a sharp low catch to make up for the dropped chance to start the day.
WHAT A CATCH FROM STEVE SMITH!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)
Sweet redemption after dropping KL Rahul on the first ball of the day.#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/d7hHxvAsMd
Rahul played 138 balls with 8 hits to the fence as he waged a lone battle with the bat. The 32-year-old has been a revelation since he has started to open the batting for India once again. Rahul scored 77 runs in the second innings of the Perth Test, which saw Rohit Sharma move himself back into the middle order.
Rohit Sharma fails to fire with the bat once again
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who had just scored nine runs in the previous game, was out for just ten on Tuesday. Pat Cummins dismissed his opposite number for the 2nd time in two innings as Alex Carey took an easy catch. Fans had hoped India’s skipper would bat long with KL Rahul as India began the 4th day in deep trouble at 51/4.
Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has praised KL Rahul’s renewed batting and credited his technique. Mr. Gavaskar, while speaking ahead of the game, said, “He is very still at crease. There is a little trigger movement, but his head is upright, and that's the reason why he is able to judge where the off-stump is and leave those deliveries.”
“And that is so essential. When the ball is hard and new and bowlers are on top, you need to give them the respect for the first half-an-hour or 45 minutes, because the next 5 hours are yours,” Sunil Gavaskar further added. KL Rahul’s form with the bat will be a huge boost for India considering the batting collapses they have suffered so far.