"Incredible": Ashwin heaps praise on Shreyas for magical catch

New Delhi [India], October 25 (ANI): Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lavished praise on India vice-captain Shreyas Iyer for his remarkable effort in the field to dismiss Alex Carey during the third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.

During the 30th over, Alex Carey miscued the shot, and Shreyas turned around and sprinted towards the ball's landing zone from the backward point. He jumped perfectly and managed to hold onto the ball, ending the 59-run partnership with Matthew Renshaw.

Mesmerised by Shreyas' magic, Ashwin took to X, praised the vice-captain for his valiance and wrote on X, "Incredible catch @ShreyasIyer15."

The moment of ecstacy soon turned into a concern when Shreyas landed awkwardly on the ground, injured his left side, and appeared in pain. As the rest of his teammates checked on him, the medical team arrived on the field for treatment, and Shreyas walked outside the field with the support of a staff member.

Shreyas became the latest injury concern for India after the young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. After Australia won the toss and opted to bat, India captain Shubman Gill revealed two changes in the final XI: Arshdeep Singh and Nitish making way for Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav.

Moments after the toss concluded, the BCCI revealed that Nitish's absence stems from a left quadriceps injury, which he picked up during the second ODI in Adelaide and became unavailable for selection. The Indian board confirmed that he is currently being monitored daily by the board's medical team.

The 22-year-old flopped during the must-win second ODI for India, garnering eight runs off 10 deliveries with the bat and returning wicketless after his three-over spell while spilling 24 runs at an economy of 8.00.

The BCCI didn't comment on Arshdeep's absence, and initial speculations suggested a fitness issue. The left-armer was visibly struggling with cramps in Adelaide and received treatment from the staff on the sidelines.

India did not need Shreyas's services with the bat in the second innings, courtesy of a batting masterclass from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit fired an unbeaten 121 while Virat notched 74* to gun down the paltry 237-run target, steer the visitors to a 9-wicket win and end the series 2-1. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)