The Australian skipper, Aaron Finch made the wrong call at the toss in the third ODI against India as the hosts elected to bowl first at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi. The dryness of the surface and chances of dew, the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli felt, would help give their batsmen a slight edge while chasing. On the other hand, Finch was confused but he helped his team to reach the total of 313/5 in their quota of 50 overs.
During the toss, in an attempt to pay respect to the martyred CRPF personnel in the cowardly Pulwama terror attack, Kohli was seen wearing a special camouflage cap and said that the entire team will wear the special military caps in Ranchi as a tribute to the fallen CRPF men. According to reports, the move has been suggested by none other than Lt. Col. MS Dhoni (he’s with the Territorial Army) and skipper Kohli.
Earlier in the game, Australia had a decent start to the game as their openers, Finch (93) and Usman Khawaja (104) stitched 193 runs for the opening wicket. However, Finch was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav in the 32nd of the inning and Khawaja was dismissed by Mohammed Shami in the 39th over as Jasprit Bumrah took an easy catch at the short-mid-wicket.
WATCH – Virat Kohli And His Men Dons Camouflage Caps In Ranchi ODI
When Finch and Khawaja were playing it was looking like the Aussies will easily reach the total of 350+ in their quota of 50 overs, but the Indian bowlers did a decent job in the slog overs and restricted the Aussies.
In the 42nd over of the game, Ravindra Jadeja pulled off a brilliant fielding display in the 42nd over bowled by Kuldeep Yadav when the Aussies were cruising at the score of 258/2 before Glenn Maxwell’s dismissal, who had to go back to the pavilion as the result of the brilliance of MS Dhoni and Jadeja on the field. However, it was a bad day at the field for the Indian players as a lot of misfields took place.
WATCH – Brilliance Of Jadeja And Dhoni Sends Back Maxwell
Then came the 44th over of the Kuldeep Yadav which pulled down the Aussies even more as he dismissed Shaun Marsh and Pete Handscomb in the same over. Then, Marcus Stonis and Alex Carey took the Australian innings to the final over as they reached 313/5.
Here is how Twitterati reacted after India’s bowling and fielding display:
Finch LBW. Are we just gonna ignore the fact that ball tracking had it pitching in a totally different place to reality?
I saw it pitching middle, maybe even middle and off. Ball tracking had it pitching on leg.
Still out but pretty weird. #INDvsAUS
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) March 8, 2019
Finch dismissal. Ball pitched on middle but ball tracking showed it to be pitching on leg stump 😂 high on weeds #INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/yx0dyZvvWp
— Saurabh (@imsgshinde) March 8, 2019
Only thrice Finch has been dismissed in the 90s in ODI:
96 vs Ind (2015)
94 vs Ind (2017)
93 vs Ind (2019)— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) March 8, 2019
What on earth has just happened with the Finch LBW? Ball tracker has the ball pitching somewhere completely different, and that sort of affects the trajectory doesn't it. Might still be out, but bizarre. #INDvAUS #Finch pic.twitter.com/fDyZR1X0p0
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) March 8, 2019
Lt Col Mahendra Singh Dhoni presents the camouflage cap to #TeamIndia Captain @imVkohli #JaiHind 🇮🇳🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/edLkFJQvSV
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2019
The Jadeja-Dhoni partnership in the Maxwell run-out was an exhibition of the highest skill in fielding. Jadeja changing the end to throw to and Dhoni nonchalantly flapping the ball onto the stumps. Could cost Australia 15-20 runs
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 8, 2019
Wow! We are now playing cricket wearing camouflage caps. Where are we headed? #INDvsAUS Hitting sixes across the line of control?
— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) March 8, 2019
