Shubman Gill Takes A Superb Diving Catch To Dismiss Usman Khawaja: While other batters struggled to find ways to score runs on Day 1 of the Indore Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, Australia opener Usman Khawaja looked a class apart as the left-hander registered a hard-fought half-century helping his side take the upper hand in the third Test.
Usman Khawaja scored 60 (147) and was involved in a second-wicket partnership of 96 (198) with Marnus Labuschagne that brought Australia almost level with India’s first innings total of 109.
By the end of the day, Australia have scored 156/4 with Ravindra Jadeja taking all 4 wickets and have a lead of 47 runs.
Usman Khawaja raised his fifty off 102 balls
After that, though, the Indian bowlers bowled better lengths and lines and didn’t give away easy runs. Ravindra Jadeja, in particular, was terrific as he tightened the screws on both Khawaja and Labuschagne and dismissed them both to keep India afloat in the match.
Khawaja’s wicket came off a surprisingly uncharacteristic aerial sweep shot from the left-hander. That was, of course, a result of the pressure from the dots balls from Jadeja in the overs preceding the wicket.
Jadeja, from over the wicket angle and spinning into Khawaja, dragged just a little bit short from the full length, and Usman Khawaja went for the sweep. He, however, didn’t keep it on the ground, and even though the boundaries at the Holkar Stadium are short, Khawaja hadn’t connected it enough to clear the fence.
Shubman Gill, positioned at deep square leg, came running in and made a brilliant effort to dive forward and take a very good catch under the pressure of the game situation and in the backdrop of the crowd shouting for him to take the catch.
Watch: Shubman Gill’s terrific catch to dismiss Usman Khawaja:
WICKET! WICKET! WICKET! 🙌🏻#TeamIndia pegging away with the ball. @imjadeja gets the big wicket of Usman Khawaja. 😎
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Earlier in the day, it was left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann who recorded his maiden Test five-wicket haul as India got bundled for 109.
Usman Khawaja and Matthew Kuhnemann had a massive role to play in what was Australia’s first day of entire dominance in this series.
Speaking after the play, he said: “I am not sure to be honest (what I did differently). I executed my plans, tried to score when I saw a scoring opportunity and respected the good ball. It is not rocket science, it was good to get a partnership with Marnus, felt like the start was the toughest time to bat with the new ball being inconsistent but it was nice to get the partnership.
“It is not an easy wicket out there. It is hard to say (if the pitch changed), it was spinning in the morning and spinning in the afternoon, it is a spin friendly wicket. We will know more tomorrow but I don’t expect it to get any better. I sweep on length most times, line sometimes when the offspinner goes down leg and I used the sweep more intermittently. I did the same thing last week too and it is good to have in your arsenal. The plan hasn’t changed but it has been dictated by the pitch and how the bowlers are bowling at you.”
