Smith got out for a duck in the first innings of Boxing Day Test.
Ashwin, who picked up 5 wickets in the opening Test at Adelaide, took the prized scalp of Steve Smith for the second time in the series.
Having dismissed Smith with a slider in the first innings of Adelaide Test for 1, Ashwin plotted another shrewd plan to get rid of the No. 1 Test batter for a duck.
Unlike the first Test where he bowled an outstanding delivery, Ashwin set a leg-side trap at MCG, with a backward and forward short-leg and Smith fell right into it.
The star Australian batsman got an inside edge and Cheteshwar Pujara at leg slip dived towards his left to complete a sharp catch.
Here’s the video:
Commenting on the dismissal, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar told 7 cricket: “First and foremost, I’m pretty surprised at the fact that on Day 1 there’s a lot of turn for the Indian spinners. He’s been bowling straight, he’s been bowling on the middle and leg, it’s been pretty much a plan to try and restrict the batsmen from playing any shot through the off side. If you look at Smith’s dismissal because maybe he was on zero he wanted to get off the mark, wasn’t able to control it. On the other hand, there were a couple of deliveries when Labuschagne was playing and he shouldered arms, Smith could’ve done that as well but I’m not complaining.”
Earlier, Ashwin had removed opener Matthew Wade for 39 to give India a dream start alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed Joe Burns for nought.