Ravi Ashwin remembers one of Dale Steyn’s vicious deliveries to Michael Vaughan

Dale Steyn bayed for blood when he had the red ball in hand in Test cricket. But the cricket world won’t be privileged to the sight anymore as the South African fast bowler has retired from the format on Monday. The 36-year-old Steyn was dejected to leave his favourite format, but also said that from now onwards, he wishes to prolong his cricketing career in the ODI and T20I format.

In 93 Tests, Steyn finished with 439 wickets and was his nation’s leading wicket-taker. Over the course of his glorious career, he gave a number of batsmen absolute nightmares, one of them was former England batsman Michael Vaughan. Steyn made his Test debut against the Three Lions at Port Elizabeth back in 2004 and nipped out the prized scalp of Vaughan in the second innings.

Dale Steyn dominating Michael Vaughan

While the Brits were chasing 142, Steyn sent Vaughan’s off-stump for a toss and erupted in celebration. It was the third and last English wicket to fall as the visitors romped home by seven wickets. Thereafter, in 2008, at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, Steyn castled Vaughan with a similar sort of a delivery. The then England skipper could manage only a couple.

The game eventually ended in a draw. In the very next game, Steyn dismissed Vaughan yet again. In five matches, Steyn got rid of Vaughan thrice in his Test career. The retired Englishman was never comfortable while facing him. Steyn has retired from Test cricket and batsmen around the globe would be relieved as they won’t have to face him anymore.

In the meantime, Ravi Ashwin, the Indian off-break bowler, reminisced one of Steyn’s dismissals of Vaughan. Ashwin is expected to play the two-match Test series against the Windies and is currently with the Dindigul Dragons in the 2019 edition of the TNPL. He congratulated the pacer and said that the delivery would be etched in the minds of the supporters forever.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “Been away for a bit, congratulations @DaleSteyn62 on a fabulous fabulous career. That ball to @MichaelVaughan will be fresh in the minds of all cricket lovers. #DaleSteyn,”

Here is Ashwin’s tweet: