The fielding side has employed the game-changing bail-swapping approach in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024, and surprisingly, it has also been successful. In the third day of the Boxing Day Test, Mitchell Starc employed the same tactic, switching the bails while Ravindra Jadeja was batting and Reddy was at the other end. This unusual move ultimately resulted in Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal, which put the team in a strong position.
Bail-swapping has received notice lately as a superstitious or unconventional practice. A similar strategy used by Mohammad Siraj earlier in the series benefited India and has subsequently garnered some attention for its subtle psychological effects.
Meanwhile, during India’s opening innings, Mitchell Starc also took advantage of this expanding trend.
Players were changing ends when Starc silently switched the bails on the stumps after the 64th over. After coming to bowl next, Nathan Lyon gave his team a breakthrough by getting rid of Jadeja. The rejection was a sharply angled slider that caught Jadeja on her rear leg. The 17-run batsman from India was trying to establish a strong partnership with Nitish Kumar Reddy, but he miscalculated the length. Unexpectedly skidding on, the ball hit Jadeja plumb in front of the stumps.
Watch the video below:
#Australia follows the bail swapping ritual, and it pays off instantly! 🫣#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 4th Test, Day 3 | LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/1mAPvyNY6w
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 28, 2024
The 30-run partnership was ended after the delivery clipped the top of the middle and off stump, as confirmed by the ball-tracking, which Jadeja checked.
India stays away from the follow-on
Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar assumed responsibilities for assuming leadership following Jadeja’s termination. One of India’s most impressive players throughout the series, Reddy achieved his first Test fifty. However, Sundar still provides a strong foundation. After 94 overs, the score is currently 311/7, with Reddy batting at 77 and Sundar at 35.
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