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India series accelerating to dramatic conclusion at SCG

3 minute read

India wrestled back momentum on the second day of the fifth Test against Australia, who were kept in the game by the efforts of Scott Boland and Beau Webster.

SCOTT BOLAND.
SCOTT BOLAND. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

AUSTRALIA V INDIA: Day two of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Test at the SCG.

Score: India 185, 6-141. Australia 181.

SUMMARY: Australia were on the back foot early on day four following a top-order collapse that had begun on the final ball of day one. Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Konstas and Travis Head all joined Usman Khawaja in the pavilion as Australia fell to 4-39 inside an hour of the resumption. Test debutant Beau Webster (57) provided the most resistance but could not prevent Australia from finishing their innings four runs shy of India's total. Scott Boland (4-42) was again chief agitator as India sought to build on their lead, before Rishabh Pant (61) hit top gear to help the tourists to a 145-run lead.

THE MOMENT: A nation of more than a billion people held its breath when Indian talisman Jasprit Bumrah left the field, and later the SCG altogether, during the second session. The electric paceman was pictured in a car, out of his cricket whites and being escorted by ambulance - presumably to receive scans. Bumrah had come from the field around 1:20pm immediately after bowling his only over following lunch. The stand-in Indian captain has been the best player on either side this series and his absence could be series-deciding when Australia's batting order returns to the pitch later in the Test.

THE PLAYER: Rishabh Pant lived up to his reputation as one of world cricket's most exciting batters as the tourists threw the gauntlet down in a hectic final session. The wicketkeeper's 61 runs - from only 33 balls - was the highest score of a Test match that has been tough for the batters, with consecutive sixes off Mitch Starc the unquestionable highlight. Rishabh roused India from frustrated and vulnerable at 3-59 with Virat Kohli back in the sheds, to confident at 5-124 when Pat Cummins took his wicket caught behind.

THE STAT: When he dispatched Shubman Gill after tea, new allrounder Beau Webster became the first Australian to take a wicket and hit a half-century on Test debut since Ashton Agar in 2013.

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