Marnus Labuschagne was handed two lives during the second innings of the Indore Test, on 0 and 8, piling on the misery for India on day one.
India were shot out for 109 after they won the toss and opted to bat first on Wednesday. The hosts got the early advantage with the ball after they sent back opener Travis Head for 9, with Australia losing their first wicket for 12. The visitors could have lost Marnus Labuschagne for a duck two runs later, if not for an ill-timed no-ball by Ravindra Jadeja.
The first ball of the fourth over was pitched outside off, which the batter looked to cut away. However, he could only manage to drag it back onto the stumps while looking to cut the ball away. India went up in celebration as Jadeja picked up his second wicket but the joy was short-lived as the umpire signalled a no-ball.
It was the third time in the series that Jadeja has picked up a wicket off a no-ball. He had bowled Steve Smith in the second innings of the first Test, but a no-ball helped the batter get away. In the second Test as well, Jadeja dismissed Peter Handscomb in the 78th over, but a no-ball overturned the decision.
Jadeja has now sent down eight no-balls in the ongoing Test series. He was criticised by Sunil Gavaskar, who called it “unacceptable.” “No way a spinner can be bowling no balls. He has to do something about it. He has picked up two Man of the Match awards [in the series] but this could cost India”, he said on commentary.
Ravi Shastri too chipped in and said: “On this kind of track with this kind of score on the board, this could prove costly. These little errors.”
Labuschagne survived yet again a few overs later after India did not use their DRS review. Having already burnt two reviews without success, skipper Rohit Sharma wasn’t keen when R Ashwin appealed for an lbw in the 11th over. Labuschagne had a big stride forward, and the ball beat his inside edge, hitting him on the pads. After a long discussion with the bowler and wicketkeeper KS Bharat, Rohit declined to go up for the DRS, and could only watch on with a helpless smile when replays showed three reds.
Labuschagne was batting on 7 then, with Australia’s scorecard reading 38.
This was not the first time in the day that captains stumbled while taking the DRS. Earlier, Steve Smith did not take two reviews in the first over of the Test, both against Rohit, giving the India skipper two lives as well. However, he was unable to capitalise and was out for 12.
