Mohammed Siraj drops Joe Root: The Indian fast bowler dropped a regulation catch to give the opposition captain a reprieve.
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During the fourth day of the second Test of the ongoing England’s tour of India in Chennai, India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj denied spinner Kuldeep Yadav of his first wicket in the match by dropping England captain Joe Root.
It all happened on the second delivery of the 47th over when Root reverse swept Yadav but erred in executing the shot properly. Having top-edged the shot, Root lobbed the ball on the off-side.
Siraj, who was fielding at backward point, made a mess of a regulation catch to give a massive reprieve to Root. Continuing from his overnight score of 2, Root fought hard in the morning session to score 33* (90) at lunch.
As far as Yadav is concerned, the chinaman spinner eventually picked his first wicket in the form of England wicket-keeper batsman Ben Foakes (2). Wanting to sweep Yadav, Foakes mis-timed the shot only to hit it straight to Axar Patel at mid-wicket.
Yadav, who has bowled less than 10 overs on a turning pitch, has received ample support for India captain Virat Kohli not giving him enough chances. However, the left-arm bowler being among the wickets after more than two years in Test cricket should give him a lot of confidence.
England, who have now lost seven wickets in the second innings and still need 366 runs to win the match, are on the brink of losing the match.
Mohammed Siraj drops Joe Root off Kuldeep Yadav
Life’s been unfair to @imkuldeep18 lately.
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 16, 2021
Root reverse sweeps straight to point. Mohammad Siraj, the man who can do no wrong, has his first blooper. Drops one that he will catch 99 times out of 100. Got to feel for Kuldeep. #INDvENG
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) February 16, 2021
We all need to band together and send Kuldeep a mental hug, don’t we? #INDvENG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) February 16, 2021
It had to be Siraj…
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) February 16, 2021
Root top edges a reverse sweep off the wicketless Kuldeep Yadav and that’s a very bad drop from Siraj at backward point
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) February 16, 2021
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