Rishabh Pant's scintillating 61 off just 33 balls lit up Day 2 of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Saturday, giving India a fighting chance to level the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia.Pant’s audacious strokeplay overshadowed Scott Boland's valiant four-wicket haul, as India ended the day with a 145-run lead and four wickets in hand in their second innings.
The day began with Australia resuming at 9/1 in their first innings, chasing India’s modest total of 185.However, the hosts’ hopes of a significant lead were dismantled by India’s disciplined bowling attack.Mohammed Siraj, leading the pace unit, delivered a masterclass in swing bowling, finishing with figures of 3/51. His highlight moment came with a devastating nip-backer that shattered Scott Boland's stumps.
Prasidh Krishna (3/42) and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/32) also played crucial roles, removing key batsmen like Pat Cummins (10) and Alex Carey (21).Debutant Beau Webster stood firm amidst the wreckage with a gritty 57 off 105 deliveries, showing maturity and composure against India’s relentless attack.
Despite his valiant effort, Australia were bowled out for 181, conceding a slender four-run deficit.India’s second innings started on a positive note with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul attacking the Australian pacers. However, Boland’s precision dismantled the top order, sending Jaiswal (22), Rahul (13), and Virat Kohli (6) back to the pavilion in quick succession. Boland’s stranglehold over Kohli continued, having dismissed him four times in the series.
When the pressure mounted, Pant walked to the crease and completely transformed the game. With a fearless approach, Pant smashed his way to a 29-ball half-century, the second-fastest for India against Australia in Tests.His audacious six off Mitchell Starc and a stunning first-ball six off Boland were highlights of a breathtaking knock. Though his dismissal by Cummins left India at 124/5, Pant’s innings gave the visitors much-needed momentum.
After Pant's departure, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar adopted a more measured approach to stabilise the innings. While Boland continued his fiery spell, picking up Nitish Reddy (4), Jadeja’s resilience and Sundar’s composure helped India see off the day without further damage. The pair's partnership will be critical in extending India’s lead on Day 3.
With a 145-run lead, India hold a slight advantage, but the SCG pitch has started showing signs of variable bounce, keeping Australia firmly in the contest. Jadeja and Sundar will aim to extend India’s lead beyond 200, a target that could prove challenging in the fourth innings.
Australia, on the other hand, will rely on Boland and Cummins to trigger another collapse and restrict the visitors. As the Test heads into a critical Day 3, the SCG is braced for another riveting chapter in this enthralling series.(UNI)
Brief Scores:
India 1st Innings: 185 all out; Australia 1st Innings: 181 all out (Beau Webster 57, Alex Carey 21; Mohammed Siraj 3/51, Prasidh Krishna 3/42); India 2nd Innings: 141/6 at stumps (Rishabh Pant 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 22; Scott Boland 4/42); India lead by 145 runs with 4 wickets in hand.
