Jasprit Bumrah’s dismissal of Steve Smith for a golden duck stood out as a pivotal moment on Day 1 of the match. Former Australian captain Matthew Hayden shared his thoughts on where Smith went wrong during that crucial play.
“Look at Steve Smith’s journey as a player. He’s always been a bit of a puzzle. You sort of expected him to eventually make a mistake like stepping too far forward and getting trapped out LBW. This is something that the old-timers of the game would point out about Smith. But it also reflects smart strategy from the other team,” Hayden explained on Star Sports.
“To bowl at that pace, around 140, and target the stumps was impressive. That delivery was aimed right for the middle stump. We believed Pat Cummins would have a similar perfect delivery lined up for Virat Kohli, but Bumrah’s wicket of Smith was the highlight of the day. By taking out Steve Smith, they’ve put Australia in a tough spot, giving Team India the advantage they were looking for.”
