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Ajinkya Rahane takes exceptional catch in the slips to dismiss Moeen Ali: WATCH
India vs England: An alert Ajinkya Rahane at slips saw the opportunity and dove full stretched ahead, thus completing a very smart catch.
India's bowlers were all over the England batsmen on Day 2 of the second Test in Chennai on Sunday, reducing them to 106/8 at the tea break. The last over before the interval saw India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane take a sharp catch to dismiss all-rounder Moeen Ali, the last recognised batsman for England, further strengthening India's foothold in the match.
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On a turning Chepauk surface, England batsman appeared clueless against India's spin duo of R Ashwin and Axar Patel. As they continued to lose wickets in the afternoon session, India mounted pressure. Any small hope of a fightback from the lower order ended when off the final over before tea, Axar bowled a ball that turned sharply off the surface, took the edge of Moeen Ali's bat, hit Rishabh Pant's legs and ballooned in the air.
An alert Rahane at slips saw the opportunity and dove full stretched ahead, thus completing a very smart catch. It was Rahane’s 89th catch for India in Test matches and Axar's second wicket of the match after the left-arm spinner had dismissed England captain Joe Root for his maiden Test scalp.
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Incidentally, it was Moeen Ali's ball that had cleaned up Rahane during India's innings. Rahane was batting on 67 when he tried to sweep Ali, but the ball turned sharply to castle the batsman. Rahane's catch was the second amazing catch from India in the innings. A few overs earlier, Pant had dived full-stretched to his left to complete a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Ollie Pope.
Off Mohammed Siraj’s first ball of the match – which was short in length and was drifting down leg – Pope tried to hit a boundary but all he could manage was an awkward jab as the ball flew to Pant's left. As he completed the catch, Pant thudded onto the ground. The ball almost lobbed out but the wicketkeeper managed to hang on to it.
