NEW DELHI: Catches win matches they say. And when the catches come when the home team is fighting to level the series after losing the first Test, the timing couldn't be better.
Add to that a brilliant run out. With a direct hit. That too of a match-winner who is the captain of the opposing team and has the reputation of taking the matches deep and his team over the line.
India captain Rohit Sharma and middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer pulled off inspiring efforts in the field as India fought back to beat England by 106 runs on Day 4 of the second Test at Visakhapatnam.
Ollie Pope, who was dismissed by a toe-crushing yorker by Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings, was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin in the first session thanks to a superb quick reflex catch by Rohit Sharma.
On a length angling across, Pope got back to cut and the ball fizzed off the edge towards the left of Rohit at slip. The Indian skipper hung out his left hand and plucked out a sharp catch without getting up to dismiss Pope for 23.
The reaction time was just 0.45 seconds for Rohit Sharma.
In the 53rd over of England's second innings, when Ben Foakes and his skipper tried to steal a single, Ben Stokes took it a little easy, perhaps thinking he will reach the crease easily. But running in from mid-wicket, Iyer threw down the stumps direct and the replay showed Stokes short of the crease.
A day after the victory, the BCCI shared a video on X in which Team India fielding coach T Dilip, captain Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer decode the fielding spectacles in Vizag.
In the video, fielding coach T Dilip talks about maintaining the momentum, intensity, energy throughout the game, while lauding both Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.
Captain Rohit Sharma talks about his catch to dismiss Ollie Pope and hoped that he takes many more catches in the series.
Shreyas Iyer, on his part, talked about making it even-stevens with Stokes, who had taken a brilliant catch to dismiss him the Indian second innings.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
1/10:2nd Test: India beat England to level series
Reuters
2/10:Jasprit Bumrah
<p>Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took a match haul of nine wickets to lead India's 106-run win over England in the second Test on Monday and level the five-match series. </p>Reuters
3/10:Zak Crawley
<p>Chasing a record 399 for victory, England were bowled for 292 in the second session on day four in Visakhapatnam, despite an attacking start and Zak Crawley's 73. </p>Getty Images
4/10:3 wickets each
<p>Bumrah and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took three each in the final innings and the pace spearhead bowled Tom Hartley to complete the win. </p>IANS
5/10:Shubman Gill
<p>Shubman Gill set up the comeback victory for India with his 104 on day three to set England, who won the opener, a daunting target. </p>IANS
6/10:Bazball
<p>England came out swinging with their "Bazball" brand of cricket, Crawley and company hitting boundaries despite losing wickets. </p>AFP
7/10:Axar Patel
<p>Left-arm spinner Axar Patel broke through when he trapped Rehan Ahmed lbw for 23, after the nightwatchman hit five fours in his 31-ball knock. </p>ANI
8/10:Ravichandran Ashwin
<p>Ollie Pope hammered five boundaries in his brief stay at the wicket, before Ashwin had him caught at slip by captain Rohit Sharma on 23. </p>ANI
9/10:Joe Root
<p>Joe Root fell for 16 while attempting a slog off Ashwin, who remains one away from entering the 500-wicket club. </p>PTI
