VIDEO | Sensational ‘SKY’ leaves Trent Boult mesmerized by gobbling up Tripathi tracer bullet

A change in captaincy, many would think, would also spell a change in performance dynamics for Kolkata Knight Riders who have perennially underperformed against the defending champions. You could expect them to do that, but what happened in reality was a question of dire extremes.

It all started with the most promising batsman of the season, Rahul Tripathi, who, in limited opportunities as an opener and otherwise, had impressed all and sundry. On the last delivery of the third over, Trent Boult bowled a short of length delivery to the Maharashtra batsman to flex his muscles. 

It was a delivery that had a four written all over it and Tripathi, observing the length, opened his arms for a strong slap towards the point region on the right of where Suryakumar Yadav was stationed. The force was so hard that it could have been a four but the former knight was no kid. Yadav kept his eye on the ball and even before anyone could realise, the Mumbaikar dived to his left to pluck it out of the thin air. So fast and agile he was that it took time for people to realise that it was a catch as the camera had already moved in the direction of the boundary.

The broadcasters quickly recomposed and showed the brilliant exhibition of athleticism as Yadav went on a sprint of celebration. The shocked one, however, was bowler Trent Boult, a brilliant fielder himself, who was stunned by the audacity that the Mumbaikar had just shown. Definitely a contender for the catch of the season.