Picture Credit: X
On Saturday, January 4, the Indian cricket team had the better of the day two against Australia in the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. After getting out at the score of 185 on the opening day of the Sydney Test, Indian bowlers bounced back into the game, restricting the hosts to 181 in 51 overs.
While Jasprit Bumrah gave India a much-needed breakthrough early on Day 1 of the Australian first innings, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picked three wickets each to put Australia on the backfoot early on Day 2 of the ongoing Test. Bumrah in his eight-over spell on the second day, got the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, Nitish Kumar Reddy also got two wickets to his name.
India add 141 runs to their first innings lead on Day 2 of Sydney Test
After taking a four-run lead, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul gave a good start to the visitors, but could not stay for long as they fell to Scott Boland’s brillinat delivery. While Jaiswal departed having scored 22 off 35 deliveries, KL Rahul added 13 runs. Shubman Gill also could not extend his stay in the middle as he departed, having scored 13 off 15 balls, Virat Kohli fell to similar trap.
Rishabh Pant stood up for the Men in Blue, scoring second fastest fifty for India in Tests. Walking into bat after Virat Kohli’s dismissal, Pant smashed Aussie bowlers all around the SCG, scoring 61 off 33 deliveries, with his innings being laced with six boundaries and four maximums. Nitish Kumar Reddy also could not replicate his century from Melbourne Test, falling off Scott Boland’s delivery after scoring four off 21 deliveries.
But Indian all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (8 off 39) and Washington Sundar (6 off 17) steadied the innings with India posting 145-run lead at stumps on day two.
