BGT 2023 | Twitter reacts as Steve Smith's captaincy blunder assists 'lucky' Rohit Sharma twice

03/01/2023

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There are rare chances when a batter doesn’t have to take a walk back to the pavilion in spite of being dismissed and that too twice in the same over. However, Rohit Sharma was lucky enough to survive twice in the first over of the third Test as Steve Smith decided not to opt for DRS.

India have continued their momentum after victories in the first two Tests in the third game as well with the opening pair looking solid at the crease. Rohit Sharma smashed two boundaries inside the first three overs but umpire Nitin Menon and opposition captain Steve Smith also played a part in ensuring the batter’s survival at the crease. The batter was dismissed twice in the same over but Smith not opting for DRS extended his stay at the crease.

Starc bowled an outswinger on the first delivery of the innings while Rohit anticipated the ball to come into him. He played inside the line of the ball but the delivery deceived him and went close to his outside edge while going to the keeper. The keeper appealed strongly but the umpire adjudged it to be not out. Smith had a brief discussion with his teammates and decided not to go for the DRS. However, his decision turned out to be poor as snicko showed two balls later that the Indian captain had nicked the ball.

Now, this was not the first instance of Rohit being lucky but it was his special day as the situation was replicated on the fourth ball as well. This time around the ball was coming in while the batter played for the delivery to go away. He missed the line of the ball and the red ball hit his back pad. There was again a huge appeal from the team but Nitin Menon gave another incorrect ruling. He declared the batter to be not out and Smith again decided not to take review after a chat with the point fielder and wicketkeeper.

Australia captain Steve Smith faced a lot of criticism on social media for not taking DRS at the right moment while umpire Nitin Menon also suffered flak for making a horrendous blunder in an international fixture

1st ball blunder

pic.twitter.com/RkjDzTq0Ui
— MAHARAJ JI (@MAHARAJ96620593) March 1, 2023

And it happened again

pic.twitter.com/e3rYgwizwD
— MAHARAJ JI (@MAHARAJ96620593) March 1, 2023

Lucky chap!

Difference between Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is proper luck merchant ! pic.twitter.com/2TQw5lEFKm
— Vishal. (@SportyVishaI) March 1, 2023

True so far

Steve Smith is such a horrible captain
— Virarsh (@Cheeku218) March 1, 2023

LOL

Steve Smith happy to demand reviews from first slip when the heats not on him…..refuses to refer 2 in first over of test match…..,#ordinary #INDvAUS
— Chris van Diemen (@vanDiemenChris) March 1, 2023

Shocker?

Easy to be critical of Steve Smith for not reviewing the first ball caught behind, but that's a shocker by the umpire. Don't understand how the best umpire in the world is on the TVs either. #INDvAUS
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) March 1, 2023

Superb comeback