Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin gave a fiery send-off to England batter Jonny Bairstow during the Day 4 of the ongoing second Test at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Monday, January 5.
The incident took place in the 42nd over of the England's run-chase, when Bairstow was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah after Indian pacer trapped the ball in the front of the wickets. Bumrah delivered the ball outside the off-stump and Jonny Bairstow missed in-swinger from the pacer.
While Bairstow was walking towards his batting partner and skipper Ben Stokes to discuss whether to take DRS or not, Ravichandran Ashwin aggressively celebrated in front of England batter and shouted at him, to which Bairstow said something in return too.
Bairstow took the review after the discussion with Stokes but it didn't change his fate as ball-tracking shows umpire's call on hitting the stumps with two reds on the impact and pitching.
Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin played 'trick' at non-striker's end, which miffed veteran England pacer James Anderson in the first innings of the Vizag Test. Ashwin stretched his arm while Anderson was completing his deliver, forcing the latter to pull out as he lost his focus. After completing his deliver in the next run-up, England pacer was apparently complaining to thee umpire about Ashwin's position at the non-striker's end. He was conveying to the on-field umpire that R Ashwin was standing close to the stumps
Ashwin and Kuldeep put India in control in 1st session
India's spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav put India in commanding position in the opening session of the Day 4 of the second Test against England.
England resumed their batting at 67/1, with Zak Crawley and Rehan Ahmed batting on 29 and 9 respectively. The pair was looking to form a good partnership until Axar Patel drew the first blood for Team India by dismissing Ahmed for 23 at 95/2. Thereafter, Ollie Pope joined Crawley at the crease to carry on England's run-chase.
R Ashwin was brought into attack to dismiss Ollie Pope at 132/3 in the 29th over. Ashwin provided another big breakthrough for the hosts by removing Joe Root at 154/5.
Team India put brakes on England's run-chase after Kuldeep Yadav picked the big wicket of in-form Zak Crawley for 73 at 194/5. At the stroke of lunch, Bumrah got the better of Jonny Bairstow for 25 at 194/6.
At the end of first session, England posted a total of 194/6 and needing 205 runs to win the second Test in Vizag.
