PTI
Sydney
Staying true to his aggressive style of play, generational talent Rishabh Pant conjured up a spectacular 33-ball-61 to somehow keep India afloat even as Australia remained in driver’s seat in the fifth Test, which is poised for an intriguing finish.
It was largely due to Pant’s breathtaking knock that India finished the second day at 141 for 6 for an overall lead of 145. Pant entrained the packed SCG with four monstrous sixes and six boundaries.
His back-to-back sixes off Mitchell Starc into the heritage Ladies Members Stands were
for posterity.
Pant’s knock prevented Indian second innings from falling apart with the visitors top and lower order struggling to negotiate Aussie attack on a track that was aided seam
and bounce.
This was after unheralded bowling duo of Prasidh Krishna (3/42) and Nitish Reddy (2/32) complemented Mohammed Siraj (3/51) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/33) to shoot Australia out for 181.
On a difficult track, Virat Kohli (6) and his top-order colleagues found Scott Boland (3/38) too hot to handle.
Kohli lost his wicket on outside the off stump line for the eighth successive time in this series.
The match is certain to end on the third day but if India will be able to defend the total will very much depend on whether skipper Jasprit Bumrah is fit to bowl full tilt.
Bumrah underwent precautionary scans for an unspecified injury after he left the field in the post-lunch session in which he bowled just one over.
If even a half-fit Bumrah bowls, it won’t be easy for Australia to chase even a 175-run target on a track with variable bounce and widening cracks.
