Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin gave an insight into the splendid catch he took off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja to send New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell back to the pavilion. Speaking to Dinesh Karthik after stumps on Day 2 of the ongoing third and final Test, Ashwin revealed that he wanted to get as close to the ball as possible. It’s important to mention that this dismissal proved to be the turning point on Day 2 as Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin got amongst the act to get the better of New Zealand’s middle and lower-middle order.
Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have played with each other for Tamil Nadu, were also seen joking about the stunning catch taken by the latter.
On stumps at Day 2, New Zealand reached the score of 171/9, extending their lead to 143 runs. On the third day, which might eventually prove to be the last day of the three-match series, Ajaz Patel and William ORourke will come out to bat for New Zealand in a bid to extend the visitors’ lead.
Off the bowling of Jadeja, Mitchell danced down the track to play an aerial shot he, however, he failed to reach the pitch of the ball. Ashwin then ran from mid-on, outstretching his hands and completing a stunning catch.
“I mean I was just telling myself it’s gonna anyway leave me. I wanted to get as close to the ball as possible and then obviously I think I’ve got great hands. So I trusted my hands to go through with it.”
The Day 2 saw proceedings move at a rollicking pace as a total of 15 wickets fell as spinners from both India and New Zealand made full use of the favourable conditions.
Ashwin gives his take on India’s run-chase in the Wankhede Test
Ashwin also did not hesitate before saying that the Indian batters would be required to grind it out in the middle to chase down whatever New Zealand ask them to, in the fourth and final innings.
When Dinesh Karthik asked Ashwin about what a comfortable target for India would be, the latter replied, “Hopefully not many. We should wrap it up overnight with probably one or two runs here and there. Every run saved in this innings is going to be much more critical for us if we chase it down. It’s not going to be easy.”
“We’ll have to bat really well to get this quota,” he added.
When asked about his decision to use carrom ball to get the better of New Zealand batters, Ashwin said, “I think, firstly the game itself is divided into two halves. The one from the pavilion end on the other side the wicket is responding very differently. It’s slightly flatter from the one where we are bowling from the wrestling room side. The bounce is much lesser. So I thought I will try and use it the other way because. The batters are also knowing that it’s easier to take me on from this side. So I wanted to give something different.”
Speaking of the ongoing New Zealand innings, Ravichandran Ashwin has so far taken three wickets, and he went back to his old and tested formula of carrom balls to get the better of Glenn Phillips and Will Young.
Ashwin also said that he expected a little more bounce from the Mumbai wicket, and he also shed light on the difference between Pune and Mumbai wickets. “Honestly, I think I expected a lot more bounce and speed from this Mumbai pitch. It’s been quite slow which is quite of a surprise for me because over the years I’ve played here and there’s been a lot of bounce.”
“The other difference is probably this is slightly bouncing more than what Pune did. It’s not a typical Mumbai pitch but much slower than usual,” he added.
Earlier in the ongoing Test, India were bundled out for 263, gaining a slender lead of 28. Shubman Gill top-scored for India with a knock of 90, while he was also supported by Rishabh Pant, who scored 60 runs.
New Zealand were previously restricted to 235 in the first innings, owing to a five-wicket haul by Ravindra Jadeja.
India have already lost the Test series, and the hosts are now looking for crucial WTC points in order to make their third consecutive final.
