India had defeated England in the recent second Test of the five-match series to level the series 1-1. This match was played in Vizag and saw India winning by 106 runs in the end.
From Yashasvi Jaiswal's double and Shubman Gill’s second innings ton to Jasprit Bumrah's fiery six-wicket spell and 9 wickets in all, India’s win in the Vizag Test saw some brilliant individual performances. But especially in the second innings, India displayed some brilliant moments in the field.
Shreyas Iyer affected Ben Stokes' run-out with a direct hit, which proved to be crucial in the context of the game. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma took an excellent reflex catch in slips to send back dangerous Ollie Pope for cheap.
In the 29th over of England innings, R Ashwin bowled one from around the wicket and Pope went for a cut shot through the off side. However, he only managed a thick edge as the ball flew straight to Rohit at slip. The skipper reacted to complete an astonishing catch in just 0.45 seconds reaction time.
Reflecting on his catch, Rohit said that it is necessary for slip fielders to 'stay still and react'.
"As a slip fielder, you are always ready for it. Idea is to just stay still and then react. It was a crucial wicket for us because he was someone who was in good form. Sometimes the ball comes so quickly that you don't get time to react and take your body there. So, your hands need to be there at the right time and right place. I hope to take many more in the series like that," he said in a video by BCCI.
The series is now finely poised as they take a break before the third Test in Rajkot, beginning on February 15.
