Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin. Image Credit: Twitter

Ravichandran Ashwin, on Friday (February 17), put India on top of the proceedings in the ongoing second Test between India and Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The off-spinner dismissed picked up two wickets in space of three balls to help India finish the first session of the match on top.

Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. Usman Khawaja looked impressive from the start while David Warner looked underconfident. The duo managed to see off the early overs and stitched together a partnership of 50-runs before Mohammed Shami dismissed Warner to end his uncomfortable stay at the crease.

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Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin. Image Credit- Twitter

Warner departed after scoring 15 runs off 44 balls. Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne then promised to put on yet another big stand before Ravichandran Ashwin struck twice inside an over.

Ravichandran Ashwin puts India on top:

Two overs before lunch, Australia were comfortably placed at 91 for 1. The session looked set to end on a good note for the visitors. Ravichandran Ashwin, however, had some other ideas. In the 23rd over of the match, the off-spinner struck twice in a space of three balls to dismiss world number one and two Test batsmen Labuschagne and Steve Smith repsectively.

On the fourth ball of the over, he trapped Labuschagne in front of the wicket for 18. The right-handed batsman took a DRS call after being given out but could not save his wicket. And even before he could settle down in the dressing room after departing, Steve Smith returned to the pavilion too.

Marnus Labuschagne. PC-Twitter
Marnus Labuschagne. PC-Twitter

Smith played for the turn but was beaten by a delivery that held its angle. The ball went past the bat after taking its outside edge before Srikar Bharat took a fine low catch. The former Australia skipper departed after scoring a 2-ball duck.

Here is a clip of both the wickets: