'One of the greatest catches in the history of cricket' - Ian Healy lauds Steve Smith's spectacular catch to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara

Australia are on the verge of scripting a famous victory against India in the ongoing third Test in Indore after a masterclass in spin bowling by Nathan Lyon. While the offie registered a sensational eight-for in the third innings, skipper Steve Smith's stunning grab to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara has been described as 'one of the greatest catches in the history of cricket' by Ian Healy.

The tourists need just 76 runs to win the Indore Test with three days still left in the match thanks to two days of dominance by the Aussies. While Nathan Lyon was all over the hosts in their second innings, Indian batting bulwark Cheteshwar Pujara waged a lone war with a resilient half-century.

However, India's hopes of setting a competitive target evaporated when stand-in Australian skipper Steve Smith plucked a one-handed stunner at leg slip to put a halt to Pujara's stubbornness. Looking at the catch, former Australian cricketer Ian Healy reckoned it was one of the greatest catches he has ever seen, and every slip fielder in the world would have loved to take it.

“Pujara’s dismissal, I’ve just looked at it, that’s one of the greatest catches in the history of cricket, that’s as good as it gets,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast. “With his old cobbler’s back, he had a deteriorating disk, but that just takes me back to Mark Waugh. It’d be Bobby Simpson, it’d be every best slips fielder in the history of cricket, they would have loved to have taken that catch,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.

simon hughes@theanalyst

Could this be a match-turning catch by @stevesmith49 to dismiss @cheteshwar1 for a determined 59 #INDvAUS #classic

04:27 PM · Mar 02, 2023

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Healy further elaborated saying Smith was stationed at that position to catch the ball which takes the edge of the batter and balloons in the air. But Pujara had timed the ball to perfection, and the ball was travelling at some pace. Still, the Aussie skipper managed to stick out his hand against his body weight to complete a remarkable catch.

"He was standing wide at leg-slip. He was there for that one that spins, bounces, gets an inside edge or shoulder of the bat, off the hip or the top of the pad that balloons wide to leg-slip. But he gets an absolute leg glance that was fine just past the wicketkeeper,” Healy added.

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