[WATCH] Steve Smith dismissed for a duck by R Ashwin in the 2nd IND vs AUS Test 

Australian batter Steve Smith was dismissed for a two-ball duck by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during the first innings of the second Test between India and Australia in Delhi.

The former skipper came into bat at No.4 following Marnus Labuschagne's dismissal. He strode down the pitch to fend off the first ball, before hanging back to defend the next ball. However, he attempted a stroke anticipating a turn while Ashwin dished out the slider, coming around the wicket.

With the ball not turning an inch, the loose stroke caught the outside edge, taken by KS Bharat behind the stumps with the gloves. This marked the ace batter's fourth duck since 2022, and his second against India. Ashwin famously dismissed him for zero in the 2020 Boxing Day Test as well. Watch how the wicket unfolded right here:

Steve Smith was arguably Australia's best batter in their mammoth defeat in the first Test in Nagpur. He scored 37 runs in the first innings before being bowled by Ravindra Jadeja and remained unbeaten on 25 in the second innings as the visitors were bowled out for 91.

Ashwin struck twice in an over with the key wickets of Smith and Labuschagne at the cusp of Lunch

Smith's wicket, which was also Ashwin's 700th scalp in first-class cricket, came right after the dismissal of Labuschagne. The off-spinner created an angle by coming around the wicket and was able to beat Labuschagne's defense and inside edge to trap him LBW.

At Lunch on Day 1, Australia are placed at 94-3 after 25 overs of play at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Usman Khawaja survived a close call in the closing stages of the session and is still holding his guard on to bring up his 20th Test fifty.

Travis Head, one of the two changes that Australia have made to their playing XI, has come in at No.5. The No.4 ranked Test batter does not have a good record in subcontinent conditions and will have a huge role to play, especially after the early dismissals of Smith and Labuschange.

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