Day 2 recap: Australia and India star in back and forth thriller

SYDNEY: Fifteen wickets fell on day two of the final test between India and Australia, as bowlers dominated on the Sydney pitch once again.

India had an incredible comeback in the first couple sessions of the day, with their bowlers taking nine wickets to hold Australia down to only 181 runs in their first innings.

INDIA’S INNINGS

The day began with India using a review in the seventh over to send off Marcus Labuschagne on a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, after the umpire didn’t see the ball brush against his bat on the way to wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant. Mohammad Siraj then left his mark on the match, taking two wickets in the 12th over, beginning with Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old who terrorized India in the previous contest. Konstas’ drive attempt connected only with his bat’s edge, sending Siraj’s delivery to gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal took the catch. Travis Head superseded him and hit a four on the second ball he faced. But, on the third, he was dismissed as Siraj’s delivery got a thick edge before it was caught by KL Rahul at second slip.

India got one more wicket before the lunch break. It was Prasidh Krishna taking his first of the day, dismissing Steven Smith in the 28th over. Smith’s attempt to defend resulted in the delivery ricocheting off the outside edge and into Rahul’s hands. Prasidh struck again after the break, bowling Alex Carey in the 38th over. Soon after in the 45th, Nitish Kumar Reddy got his first dismissal, on a ball taht Pat Cummins edged to Kohli at first slip. Reddy would strike again in his next over, dismissing Mitchell Starc after his delivery got a thick outside edge, sending the ball to Rahul for his third catch of the innings.

In the very next over, Prasidh surprised Beau Webster with a delivery that bounced higher than the Aussie expected. A hesitant prod edged the ball to Jaiswal at gully. Australia’s last wicket fell in the 51st over, when Siraj picked up his third wicket of the match on a delivery that snuck between Scott Boland’s bat and pad to smash into the stumps.  

Australia were all out for 181. Leading by four, India began their second innings with momentum, only for them to crumble again.

Also read: Recap: Boland and Starc dismantle India’s batters in fifth test

AUSTRALIA’S INNINGS

Jaiswal got off to a fantastic start, slamming four fours in the very first over. Together with KL Rahul, the two kept up a confidence inspiring pace, scoring 29 runs in the first seven overs. However, Boland changed the narrative in the eighth, dismissing Rahul on a delivery that ricocheted off the inside edge of the Indian’s bat and into the stumps. In his next over, Boland took another, sending off Jaiswal on a ball that found its way past the inside edge of the bat before hitting the top of off stump.

To Australia’s delight, Boland took his third in the 14th over. And to India’s despair, a visibly frustrated Kohli yelled before leaving the field, unable to end his rut. The Indian star had edged the delivery from Boland to Smith at second slip.

Soon after, Webster had his maiden test wicket. Shubman Gill was caught behind after the debutant’s delivery nicked the inside edge of Gill’s bat.

India were in dire straits, with four wickets lost for a score of only 78 runs. However, Pant put the team on his back, scoring 61 runs off 33 deliveries, hitting six fours and four sixes along the way. He brought up his fifty on the 29th ball he faced, one delivery more than the fastest ever fifty for India in tests, which was also made by Pant in 2022. The Indian batter was eventually dismissed in the 23rd over by Cummins, who’s delivery clipped the edge of Pant’s bat before Carey took a comfortable catch.

Reddy would put four more runs on the board for India before he made his exit in the 28th. It was Boland yet again, picking up his fourth dismissal of the day on a delivery that Reddy attempted to hit over mid-off. Unfortunately for India, six-foot four Pat Cummins was a little too tall and Reddy’s innings were done.

After India’s impressive bowling put them in a position to pull away from Australia, Boland brought Australia back into the contest with four wickets. India stand at 141 runs for six and they lead by 145.

It wouldn’t be so bad for India, considering both teams are struggling with the bat, were it not for Bumrah’s injury. The India skipper was taken off the field in the midst of Australia’s innings due to back spasms. His absence from India’s bowling attack would surely be a huge advantage for Australia.

Bumrah has taken 32 wickets in the series against the Aussies so far. The second most is by Pat Cummins, who trails by nine.

Also read: Does South Africa deserve to be in the WTC finals?