The fielding standards of the Indian team on day 2 of the Pink-Ball test in Adelaide was shambolic, to say the least. The Indian fielders dropped catches with a couple of them going through the slips. Though the Indian bowlers were good individually, their fielders disappointed them throughout the course of the day. Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has taken a sly dig at the Indian fielders after they committed several mistakes on the field.

Marnus Labuschange alone was given three lives in his innings. He was first given a life on after the ball fell short of Wriddhiman Saha early on in his innings. He was again dropped on the third ban boundary by Jasprit Bumrah, who misjudged at the boundary line. He jumped to take the catch and in the process failed to gather the ball. Marnus was given a third life after Prithvi Shaw dropped him off Jasprit Bumrah, who had earlier dropped Labushange himself.

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India’s Drop Catches Upset Sunil Gavaskar

Seeing the Indian fielders drop sitters, Sunil Gavaskar who is in Adelaide as part of the commentary team said that the Indian fielders were giving the Aussie batsmen Christmas gifts.

“All I can think of is the Indians are in a Christmas mood. Giving their Christmas gifts a week early,” Gavaskar was heard saying soon after Labuschagne was dropped while batting at 22 runs by Shaw off Bumrah.

The performance of the Indian bowlers kind of covered up for the mistakes of their fielders on the day. Their catching especially in the outfield was questionable. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane took comfortable catches in close-in positions.

Meanwhile, Australian skipper Tim Paine completed his eighth test fifty and his second against India while keeping his team in the hunt. He too was given a life in the deep by Mayank Agarwal early on in his innings as well.

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