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A strong throw from Washington Sundar resulted in Jadeja just almost effortlessly (and a bit unexpectedly as well) deflecting his throw onto the stumps, dismissing O’Rourke.
Jadeja pulled off a stunner of a run-out, prompting comparisons with MS Dhoni (X)
Ravindra Jadeja turned the clock back for the India faithful as the spinner pulled off a ‘Thala’-esque no-look run out to dismiss William O’Rourke and bundle NZ for 255 in Pune on Saturday.
Glenn Phillips put up a fighting unbeaten stand of 48* peppered with a few sixes to help NZ cross the 350-run lead mark.
But, the wickets continued to fall in the other end, and ultimately, New Zealand were bowled out for 255 runs, setting India a target of 359 runs to win.
Needing a strong start to the day, India relied on Ravindra Jadeja to turn the tide with his spin, and that is exactly what transpired.
The veteran spinner wreaked utter havoc over the NZ lower order, scalping three wickets, as India bowled out the visitors in a little more than an hour into the first session of Day 3.
His most impressive moment of all came in the last ball of NZ’s innings, when a call for a double turned trouble for the visitors.
Glenn Phillips swatted one down the off-side for a seeming single, but changed his mind in the last minute, as he pushed for a second run.
Tail-ender Will O’Rourke was lackadasical with his effort on the run, and a strong throw from Washington Sundar resulted in Jadeja just almost effortlessly (and a bit unexpectedly as well) deflecting his throw onto the stumps, dismissing O’Rourke.
The instance sparked fans alike all over the internet to draw comparisons with one Captain Cool, MS Dhoni, as many pointed out the similarities between their run-outs.
Having pulled themselves together and having bundled out the Kiwis, it was imperative for India to come out guns blazing to send a message.
That is all that transpired, as the likes of Yashashvi Jasiwal, and Shubman Gill both pushed the pace up, notching 81 runs on the board in just 12 overs, after losing Rohit Sharma early.
With the shift of momentum, the pendulum has swung once again, favouring India now, as the home side looks to post a historic comeback, and tie up the series.
