Steve Smith Viral Catch: Australian Skipper Takes A One-Handed Stunner In One Of The 'Greatest Catch Ever' To Remove Cheteshwar Pujara

IND vs AUS: Pujara was India's best batter on Day 2 of the Indore Test and it needed a special effort from Smith to get rid of the Indian batter.

Smith, positioned himself at the leg-slip position, and took a one-handed stunner to get rid of Pujara.

Source : Screengrab From Video Uploaded On Twitter/@theanalyst

Australia have dominated the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Holkar Stadium in Indore so far. Despite losing the toss, the visiting team who were 0-2 down before the start of this fixture, first bowled India out for 109 in the first innings before taking an invaluable 88-run lead in the first innings. 

Australia then managed to bowl the home team out for 163 in the second innings to ensure they have a modest 76-run target to achieve when they come out to bat on Day 3. Despite a track on which spinners have found assistance, one would have to say advantage Australia at this stage given that they need under 100 runs to win the match and the kind of grit their top-order has already shown in the first innings.

For India, the best batter on Day 2 was Cheteshwar Pujara. The right-handed batter scored 59 off 142 deliveries and proved to be a tough guy to beat even by a spin attack which had wreaked havoc on the Indian batters. Eventually it was Nathan Lyon, who scalped 8 wickets for 64 runs in the second innings, that got rid of him but it needed a special effort from captain Steve Smith to get him out.

Smith, positioned himself at the leg-slip position, and took a one-handed stunner to get rid of Pujara. The Australian captain initially went the wrong way but made amends quickly enough to grab the ball with his outstretched right hand to take a fine low catch to end the Indian batter's innings.

Journalist Andrew McGlashan described the catch as one the greatest you will ever see while ex-England cricketer and journalist  Simon Hughes anticipated that it could be a match-changing event.

Here is the catch:

Could this be a match-turning catch by @stevesmith49 to dismiss @cheteshwar1 for a determined 59 #INDvAUS #classic pic.twitter.com/RFHO4lEdWV

— simon hughes (@theanalyst) March 2, 2023

One of the greatest catches you will see#INDvAUS

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 2, 2023

 

It did certainly hamper India's plans as they would have ideally looked to set Australia a target of at least in excess of 100 but Pujara's wicket meant their tail was exposed early and they could not add much more to their total.