Team India's star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin turned the first session on its head when he dismissed Australia's dangerous duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith within three deliveries during the second Test in Delh. The dismissals took place in the 23rd over of the innings; prior to the dismissal, Labuschagne had raced to 18 off 24 deliveries and looked set for a strong partnership alongside Usman Khawaja.
However, Ashwin, coming from around the wicket, trapped Labuschagne in front of the wickets before inducing an outside edge off Steve Smith to send him packing for a duck. The dismissals meant Australia ended the first session on 91/3; early in the next session, Mohammed Shami further dismissed Travis Head as the Indian bowlers continued to make inroads.
Following Ashwin's twin-wicket over, the fans and former cricketers lauded the spinner; the wicket of Labuschagne was also Ashwin's 700th in First-Class cricket. The India bowler's Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals also took to their official Twitter account to take a fiery dig at Australia after Ashwin's masterclass early in the second Test.
The Royals took a swipe at Australia using a Ashwin doppelganger to prepare for the spinner in the build-up to the series. The Aussie side roped in Baroda's Maheesh Pithiya, whose bowling action resembles Ashwin significantly, ahead of the first Test. In fact, Pithiya also travelled with the side to Delhi ahead of the second Test and continued to bowl in the nets for Aussie batters.
{{/usCountry}}The Royals took a swipe at Australia using a Ashwin doppelganger to prepare for the spinner in the build-up to the series. The Aussie side roped in Baroda's Maheesh Pithiya, whose bowling action resembles Ashwin significantly, ahead of the first Test. In fact, Pithiya also travelled with the side to Delhi ahead of the second Test and continued to bowl in the nets for Aussie batters.
{{/usCountry}}Royals wrote, “You can clone my action, not my brain.”
Ashwin had taken eight wickets in the first Test of the series against Australia, as India registered a comprehensive innings-and-132-run victory in Nagpur.
Earlier on the day, Australia captain Pat Cummins had won the toss and opted to bat in Delhi. The side had a decent start as the opening duo of David Warner and Usman Khawaja forged a 50-run stand, but Warner eventually succumbed to a thick outside-edge on 15. Labuschagne and Smith, then, were dismissed by Ashwin as India continue to exert dominance on the visitors.