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Siraj Drops Brook: Instances When Indian Fielders Gave Lifeline To Opponent

Anurag Dasgupta

Siraj drops Brook [Source: AFP Photo] Siraj drops Brook [Source: AFP Photo]

Mohammed Siraj has been India's best bowler on the England tour and has always delivered the goods for his side. However, on the fourth day of the fifth Test match against England, Siraj's crucial mistake proved to be costly, and it allowed England's Harry Brook to score a brilliant century. Brook was at 19 when he was given the lifeline.

Prasidh Krishna bowled a short-pitched ball as Brook miscued it. Siraj was at deep square leg region, as he grabbed the catch, but he went over the ropes. This turned out to be a vital moment in the match as the English batter went on to slam a century, and took England near the victory line.

This was a costly error for India in terms of the match, and here are 3 such incidents when a dropped catch made India lose the game.

1) Kiran More drops Graham Gooch at 36

In the India vs England Lord's Test in 1990, one huge error from wicket-keeper Kiran More led to a massive disaster for the visitors. England batter Graham Gooch was batting at 36 when a delivery from 

Sanjeev Sharma took the outside-edge, and More dropped a dolly behind the stumps. This dropped catch gave new wings to Gooch as he further added 297 runs, and went on to score a marathon 333 runs to push India out of the game. Courtesy of his knock, England posted 653/4, and won the match comfortably.

2) Virat Kohli drops Brendon McCullum at 9

Normally, Virat Kohli is a great fielder and has a safe pair of hands; however, in the 2014 Wellington Test match, Kohli dropped a catch to give Brendon McCullum a lifeline and gave away 293 extra runs. India took a commanding first-innings lead of 246, and when New Zealand came out to bat in the second innings, they lost three early wickets.

McCullum entered the crease and was batting on 9 when Kohli decided to be generous and dropped an easy catch at short mid-on. Mohammed Shami was the bowler as the former Kiwi batter chipped it to Kohli, and the India fielder spilled it. This was costly as McCullum further added 293 runs, and slammed a brilliant triple ton to save the game for his team.

3) Ravindra Jadeja drops Alastair Cook at 15

Ravindra Jadeja is India's best fielder by a country mile, but even the best in the business have a bad day, and Jadeja had it against England in the Southampton Test match in 2014. India were leading the series, 1-0, and England were on the back-foot. 

Cook was batting at 15, when debutant Pankaj Singh, pitched a ball outside the off and Cook got an outside-edge towards the third slip. Jadeja placed there, dropped a straightforward chance, and Cook punished India as he smacked 80 more runs, and helped England post 569/7 in their first innings.