India vs Australia 5th Test Day 2 Highlights: India 141/6, lead Australia by 145 runs at Stumps
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jan 04, 2025, 13:51:56 IST
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India vs Australia 5th Test Day 2 Highlights: India 141/6, lead Australia by 145 runs at Stumps

India vs Australia 5th Test Day 2: An explosive Rishabh Pant slammed the second fastest Indian Test half-century on Saturday to drive his team to a 145-run lead with four wickets left after an intense day two of the decisive fifth Test against Australia.

At the close in Sydney, the visitors were 141-6 with Ravindra Jadeja on eight and Washington Sundar six after they dismissed Australia for 181 in reply to their first innings 185.

Pant signalled his intent by plundering a six on his first ball, and reached 50 after just 29 deliveries with another big shot that cleared the ropes.

Only his 28-ball half-century against Sri Lanka in 2022 was faster for India.

He was finally dismissed for 61 off 33 by Pat Cummins, but Scott Boland was India's main tormenter, taking 4-42.

Pant's exploits set up an exciting finale, with doubts over whether skipper Jasprit Bumrah will take any further part.

He left the field after bowling one over following lunch and left the Sydney Cricket Ground, likely heading for hospital scans. Bumrah was seen returning some 80 minutes before stumps.

In his absence, Prasidh Krishna (3-42), Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2-32) stepped up to fill the void and dismiss Australia after they resumed on 9-1.

The hosts will regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15 if they win or draw.

Yashasvi Jaiswal got India's second innings off with a bang, crunching four boundaries from the opening over by Mitchell Starc.

But the opening partnership was quickly shattered when KL Rahul was bowled for 13 by Boland, whose line and length has been impeccable all series.

He pounced again in his next over with a ball that jagged back to deliver the same punishment to Jaiswal (22).

Virat Kohli desperately needed a big score -- for himself and the team -- but failed to deliver, perishing in the slips for six with his nemesis Boland again the destroyer.

It was likely the 36-year-old's last Test innings in Australia, with India usually only visiting every four years.

Debutant Beau Webster, who top-scored for Australia with 57, claimed Shubman Gill (13) as his first Test wicket, but at the other end Pant was on a mission until an outside edge off Cummins carried to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Boland claimed his fourth to remove Nitish Kumar Reedy cheaply.

Australia lost Sam Konstas (23), Marnus Labuschagne (two), Travis Head (four) and Steve Smith (33) before lunch.

In front of his home crowd, Smith looked set to become only the 15th batsman ever and fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.

But he was made to wait, five runs short, after Prasidh enticed an edge to Rahul in the slips.

The home side resumed after a dramatic final-ball wicket on Friday when Bumrah -- captaining the side after Rohit Sharma was "rested" -- had Usman Khawaja caught in the slips.

That Australian body blow came two balls after Bumrah and Konstas had a tense exchange.

The 19-year-old Konstas padded up again on seven with new partner Labuschagne, who didn't last with Bumrah getting the faintest outside edge to Pant.

A fearless Konstas slammed Bumrah to the boundary, then produced an audacious reverse ramp shot for another four.

But the teenager overplayed his hand and fell to a Siraj outswinger, attempting a drive that flew to Jaiswal at gully.

Siraj removed Travis Head in the same over with another gem to leave Australia tottering at 39-4.

Smith and Webster, in the team for the dropped Mitchell Marsh, began rebuilding the innings before Prasidh dismissed the veteran just before lunch and bowled Carey soon after their return.

India then took 3-4, with Reddy at the forefront, as the tail collapsed.
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32 Jasprit Bumrah in 2024/25
31 Bishan Bedi in 1977/78
28 BS Chandrasekhar in 1977/78
25 EAS Prasanna in 1967/68
25 Kapil Dev in 1991/92
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05:01 (IST) Jan 04
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Before Usman Khawaja, Australia's other opener, was caught on the last ball of the day, Konstas engaged in a furious back and forth with Bumrah and his Indian teammates.

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Rishabh Pant's blistering counter-attack capped a chaotic second day of the fifth and final Test between Australia and India where 15 wickets fell on Saturday and the star bowler of the series left the Sydney Cricket Ground with an ambulance escort.

Yet the Border-Gavaskar trophy still remains very much in the balance as India reached 141-6, holding a 145-run lead over Australia with three days remaining.

Australia was bowled out for 181, giving India a four-run lead on the first innings, and could not take advantage of India captain Jasprit Bumrah leaving the SCG for medical scans on a still unspecified injury. Bumrah later returned to the SCG but there was no confirmation on whether the star bowler would be able to bowl in the remainder of the Test — or bat in India's second innings.

Beau Webster top-scored for the hosts with 57 and a wicket in a bright debut, while Steve Smith narrowly fell short of bringing up 10,000 career Test runs in front of his home crowd.

Pant then lit up the SCG with a swashbuckling 61 off 33 balls with six boundaries and four sixes to leave the match evenly poised after the end of just the second day.

At stumps, Jadeja was eight not out and Washington Sundar was unbeaten on six.

Scott Boland backed up his four wickets in India's first innings with four more on Saturday.

First, he bowled two near-unplayable deliveries to bowl opening pair KL Rahul (13) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22).

Boland (4-42) followed that up by yet again tempting Virat Kohli outside off stump which the veteran guided straight to Smith at slip in what may be the 36-year-old Kohli's final Test innings in Australia.

Webster (1-24) chalked up his first Test wicket, having Shubman Gill (13) caught behind after a wild swipe.

Earlier, Australia conceded a four-run deficit as it was bowled out at tea.

Steve Smith (33) and Webster appeared to have stabilized the host's innings after its top order was toppled in quick time by Bumrah (2-33) and Mohammad Siraj (3-51).

Bumrah took Labuschagne to go with Khawaja's wicket and took his overall series tally to 32 wickets, the highest ever by an Indian bowler in a single series in Australia, passing spinner Bishan Singh Bedi’s 31 during the 1977-78 series.

Australia leads the series 2-1 and must avoid defeat to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15. A win by India and a drawn series at 2-2 would allow the visitors to retain the trophy for a record-extending fifth consecutive time.

A win for Australia at the SCG would book the team’s spot in a second straight World Test Championship final where it would play the already-qualified South Africa at Lord’s in June.