IND vs AUS: R Ashwin rattles Australia with twin strikes; dismisses Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith in one over

Indian star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin struck twice in an over to dent Australian hopes in the first innings of the ongoing second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The veteran spinner dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the latter for a duck, in the space of three deliveries to peg back the Aussies.

Following a woeful batting display in the Test series opener, the visitors got off to a decent start despite losing David Warner. Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne were batting with positive intent in a brisk stand for the second wicket before Ravichandran Ashwin turned the first session on its head in the space of just three deliveries.

The wily spinner got the umpire's decision overturned to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne with a classical delivery that spun after drifting away from the batter. Labuschagne's dismissal was Ashwin's 700th First Class wicket. Two balls later, Ashwin got rid of Australia's prolific batter Steve Smith for a two-ball duck with a slider that went on with the arm as Indian wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat gobbled a smart catch from behind the stumps.

Marnus Labuschagne ✅
Steve Smith ✅@ashwinravi99 gets 2⃣ big wickets in one over 💪💥#TeamIndia #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/UwSIxep8q2

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 17, 2023

The two dismissals mean that Australia have lost two of their best batters in quick succession on a pitch that is not the easiest for the batters. Usman Khawaja nearly succumbed on the very next delivery after Ravindra Jadeja trapped him in front of the wicket, only for the third umpire to overturn the decision given by the onfield umpire.

Khawaja registered his 20th half-century in Test matches after surviving that close LBW call and holds the key for the visitors along with Travis Head, who was controversially left out of the Nagpur Test. Ashwin has looked menacing with the ball and will be looking to restrict the Aussies to a low score in the first innings of the second Test.

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