South Africa tour of India | Twitter relieved as Bavuma fails to capitalise dropped chance

After being dropped by Nitish Reddy on the previous ball, the Proteas skipper departed the very next ball after being caught by the same player.
‌South Africa extended their stranglehold against India in the first session of the fourth day of the second Test in Guwahati on Tuesday. The visitors extended their lead to 365 runs at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium with captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs at the crease and eight wickets still in the bank.With a deteriorating surface starting to play its tricks, the batters found it difficult to continue their stay in the middle. The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar applied pressure from both ends, with the former sending back Aiden Markram with a peach earlier in the day.

Sundar also extracted turn and bounce to induce the inside edge of Bavuma in the second ball of the 32nd over. After pitching on a good length outside off stump, the red cherry turned almost square, nicking the Proteas captain’s willow and heading to Sai Sudharsan at short leg.

The close-in fielder was able to get his right hand to the ball that was travelling, changing its direction towards Nitish Reddy, who was stationed at leg slip. But Reddy had already started his run in the opposite direction and, as a result, could not catch the ball despite getting in contact with it.

However, he was not punished for the reprieve as Bavuma gloved the very next delivery, which bounced while turning into him after pitching around middle stump. And as coincidence had it, Reddy received another straightforward chance and made no mistake this time.

Twitter and Reddy were relieved as Bavuma left without costing the home side dear for the dropped chance, as Sundar reacted with a sheepish smile.

Gone!