On a day that saw centuries from India’s newest batting prodigy and their captain, all that stood out for Australia were the dropped catches. The drop that drew the most attention was of Rahul by Steve Smith at first slip.
Rahul skied one from Shane Watson and Smith failed to hold on to it after a fumble. After grassing it, Smith pointed skywards suggesting the Spidercam hovering just above him distracted him.
After the day’s play, Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann confirmed Smith was disturbed by the wire of the camera said the positioning of the device should be changed.
“I think it’s good for the game, but maybe not ideal where it was positioned for that ball,” Lehmann said. “I like watching it but we just have to get the position right when the bowler is bowling. On that particular occasion it was probably in the wrong spot.
“It was just the wire moving and the camera moving as the ball was coming down, and then he had the sun. It was a pretty difficult catch,” Lehmann said, defending Smith. “Start it at deep cover and then move it out of eye line. We just have to get the position right, that’s all.”
While he put down Smith’s drop to the Spidercam, Lehmann admitted that his side’s fielding has left much to desire not only in this but also the last Test. “It was disappointing. They were a couple of tough chances but you still have to take those on a wicket that will deteriorate on days four and five. We needed to speed the game up today. It’s disappointing that it’s happened two Tests in a row,” he said.
Lehmann praised the two young captains, Smith and Virat Kohli, for their awesome run in the series with four centuries each. “He played really well today, and so did young Rahul,” Lehmann said. “It’s been a hundred-fest this series, and to see both captains play and the way they have led their sides there are exciting times ahead for both countries.”
The Aussie coach reckoned that the wicket will break up on the last two days, bringing the spinners into the picture. “I think it will break up and spin and go up and down.
“But until the end of the game, and that will depend on how we bowl in the morning and how they bat and then we probably have to be pretty aggressive to set something up.”
“I think they will turn it from now on, so I think it will be a really interesting day tomorrow,” he said.
Chris Rogers, the Aussie opener did not take the field on the third day. Lehmann said he was suffering from back spasms. “He had a back spasm but hopefully it settles down tonight and he’ll be able to take the field tomorrow.”
