After toiling hard on the field for over five sessions, the Indian tea was left red-faced when Rohit Sharma dropped an absolute sitter during the second day of the India-England Test in Chennai.

The incident occurred off the first ball of the 175th over of the innings, when Dom Bess lobbed a delivery off Washington Sundar towards Rohit, stationed at short midwicket. The Indian opener seemed to be in a comfortable position to pouch the offering, but possibly got caught between choosing the ideal method to cup his hands.

He ended up making a meal of it, the ball thudding into his hands, popping out and spilling to the floor. Sundar, the bowler, was seen reacting in disbelief, and the cameras zoomed into a sheepish-looking Rohit before panning towards the stone-faced skipper Virat Kohli. In the England dressing room, Ben Stokes was seen gasping at the reprieve, one that had shades of Joe Denly’s drop from December 2019.

It was a difficult day on the field for the Indian team, who ended up conceding 555 runs by the end of the second day’s play, with Bess remaining unbeaten on 28. Before the botched effort, Rohit had briefly brought life into the day’s action by imitating Harbhajan Singh’s bowling action during a brief spell.

Rohit might not have had one, but Twitter sure had a field day after the dropped catch.

Rohit Sharma trying his best not to bat Today. #INDvsENG
Ben stokes reaction 😂 . Tactical drop . pic.twitter.com/hZjD8UAeX6

— ✨Suraj✨ (@DEMON_KHILADI) February 6, 2021

Is there a worse feeling in cricket than dropping an absolute sitter of a catch when you have been in the field for two long hot days. Poor Rohit Sharma. Awful.

— Simon Jack (@BBCSimonJack) February 6, 2021

The best thing about comical fielding is knowing that this still prevailed over Australia. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/HhuPEjOVgW

— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) February 6, 2021

Rohit Sharma there catching like a man who clearly doesn’t fancy batting tonight

— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) February 6, 2021

Who would want to be Washington Sundar? Bowls for the best part of two days, gets taken big time each time he comes on to bowl. Finally gets a good healthy edge, not given. Induces a catch, and Rohit Sharma doesn't wake up in time.

— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) February 6, 2021

There were theories too about how Rohit had managed to spill the chance.

Did… did Rohit put his hands in front of his own eyes so he lost sight of the ball? Because that is terrific.

— Amy Lofthouse (@amy_cricket) February 6, 2021