Match official Nitin Menon couldn’t contain the Indian in him when he saw Ajinkya Rahane lose his wicket to a ripper by Jimmy Anderson on Day 5 of the first Test match at Chennai. The Indian team lost the match by 227 runs and are 1-0 down in the series. It wasn’t Team India’s best match and they struggled right through the game.
Credit to the visitors for a top-level performance. They dominated most sessions and were great in almost every department.
Watch: Ben Stokes Reacts As Virat Kohli Loses Wicket And India Loses The Game
Jimmy Anderson saw the ball reversing and took up the opportunity to disrupt the Indian batting line-up with some near-perfect balls that crashed into the stumps. Giving only seven runs in his six-over spell in the first session of the last day, Anderson managed to first breach the bat and pad gate of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in one over and then find Rishabh Pant’s leading-edge only for Joe Root to cradle an easy catch at short leg.
Jimmy Anderson’s lethal spell:
However, along with the praises that showered on Anderson for the lethal spell, netizens noticed something unusual with umpire Nitin Menon when Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed. Only earlier in the over Menon had prevented a golden duck for the Indian vice-captain, denying Jimmy Anderson a leg before wicket.
In the next delivery, Anderson just skippers the umpire’s call and broke through the stumps of Rahane leaving Indian fans in shock. The video shows, more than the fans, it was Nitin Menon who was more disappointed. The umpire standing at the bowler’s end can be seen covering his face as Anderson celebrated with the team.
Menon’s reaction was hilarious because he had just missed a call on the previous delivery. That was when Anderson had appealed for a Leg-Before-Wicket.
A Twitter user posted the video of Nitin Menon; with the video going viral:
Umpire’s reaction ?
After all, he is an Indian!
Umpire’s reaction ?
After all, he is an Indian ! pic.twitter.com/wZvRYM9k5I— middle stump (@middlestump4) February 10, 2021
England dominated India in every department:
Owing to Jimmy Anderson’s spell, India was brought down to 114/6 by lunch. With Virat Kohli the only batsman making sense in the middle. The Indian skipper scored 72 runs – the highest in the fourth innings – only delaying what seemed inevitable – a defeat. The hopes of even a draw clung onto Kohli and Ashwin who came back after lunch, playing spinners prudently. Ashwin’s patience didn’t last long as he went to slash Jack Leach but ended up handing a catch to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Off-spinner Jack Leach picked up impressive bowling figures of 26-4-76-4, as India were bundled out for 192 in 58.1 overs chasing 420 runs in the final innings. Anderson clocked the figures of 11-4-17-3.
The likes of Washington Sunder, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin couldn’t do much. They fell cheaply leaving Kohli with the lower tail. That was before the skipper got out to Ben Stokes. Can Team India make a strong comeback in this series?
