I didn't even realise that I took catch to dismiss Wagner: Jadeja

Christchurch: Spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday said he wasn’t expecting the ball to travel so quickly towards him before he pulled off an absolute stunner to dismiss New Zealand’s Neil Wagner in the second Test here.

Jadeja took a sensational one-handed airborne catch at deep mid-wicket to end the useful ninth-wicket partnership of 51 runs between Kyle Jamieson (49) and Neil Wagner (21) at the stroke of tea.

“I was expecting him (Wagner) to score towards deep square leg. But I didn’t expect the ball to come at that pace,” said Jadeja, who claimed two wickets for 22 runs in the New Zealand first innings.

“It came so quickly with the wind and I just stuck my hand out. I didn’t even realise when I took the catch. We bowled well as a unit. We will look to bat well and bowl them out again.”

On Sunday, India dismissed New Zealand for 235 to take a slender seven-run lead.

The pacers led India’s fight back on the second day with the trio of Mohammed Shami (4/81), Jasprit Bumrah (3/62) and Umesh Yadav (1/46) sharing eight wickets among them.

On Day 1 on Saturday, India was bowled out for 242.