Watch: The beautiful ball bowled by Jack Leach to dismiss Rohit Sharma on the fourth evening of the first Test evoked instant comparisons to another left-arm spin classic, from Monty Panesar to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar in the 2012 Test in Mumbai.
Both spells helped England claim historic victories in India; two of only four losses the hosts have suffered at home in the last decade. While the 2012 Test ended in a memorable 10-wicket victory for England, their 272-run triumph in Chennai might even trump that one.
The deliveries were both magical, and eerily similar – the left-armers pitched the ball on the middle stump and turned away from the right-handers, clipping their off stump.
“I got it to turn because the seam is quite pronounced. I thought the SG ball was similar to the Duke’s ball and when I turned it and it gripped, I was like ‘Oh Gosh! It’s the best delivery in the world’,” Panesar told Firstpost while recalling the incident.
Watch and compare the Panesar and Leach deliveries here:
