India brushed off the absence of captain Jasprit Bumrah to dismiss Australia for 181 and reach 141-6 for an overall lead of 145 on an extraordinary second day of the finely-balanced fifth Test on Saturday.
On a day of high drama at a sunbathed Sydney Cricket Ground, Bumrah took the first wicket to set India on their way but departed with the team doctor soon after lunch due to a back spasm.
Prasidh Krishna (3-42), Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Nitish Kumar Reddy stepped into the considerable bowling void left by their captain to rout Australia and fire India to a slender first-innings lead of four runs at tea.
There was still plenty of spice in the wicket, however, and paceman Scott Boland took 4-42 in the final session to add to his four-wicket haul on Friday, as Australia lopped the top off the Indian batting and dug deep into the middle order.
Boland removed stand-in India skipper Virat Kohli amongst others in Sydney
Rishabh Pant threw off the shackles and produced some extraordinary shots in a stunning 28-ball half-century to stop the rot but he too departed for 61 in the final hour, Australia skipper Pat Cummins claiming the 14th wicket of the day.
There was still time for Boland to claim his fourth victim in the shape of Nitish Kumar Reddy, leaving Ravindra Jadeja, who was eight not out, and Washington Sundar, unbeaten on six, at the crease at the close of play.
The crowd of 47,257 enjoying the Sydney sunshine certainly got their money’s worth as the momentum shifted back and forth, as it has over the series, which Australia lead 2-1.
India captain and star bowler Jasprit Bumrah was forced to depart with a back spasm on day 2
Debutant all-rounder Beau Webster, whose 57 was Australia’s highest score, was cheered to the rafters for his half-century and again when he removed Shubman Gill for 13 later in the day to claim his maiden Test wicket.
Virat Kohli, standing in as India captain after Bumrah’s departure, was booed to the crease for what is likely to be his final innings in Australia, and cheered back to the boundary rope after Boland had him caught in the slips for a timid six.
Boland is fast becoming a cult hero in Australia and possibly the loudest roar came when he bowled a peach of a delivery to take out opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s off stump and end a promising innings on 22.
The Indian supporters had plenty to cheer too, starting with Bumrah’s dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne in the morning session to take his series tally to 32 wickets at an average of 13.06.
India captain Rohit Sharma is sitting out the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney
Krishna also had the Indian flags waving when he had Steve Smith caught in the slips for 33 to break up a fifth-wicket partnership of 57 with Webster and leave the former Australia captain five short of 10,000 test runs.
India, who dropped captain Rohit Sharma for the match, need to win in Sydney to square up the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Bumrah’s back spasm may rule him out of fifth Test remainder
India might be without Bumrah for the remainder of the fifth Test against Australia after he left the Sydney Cricket Ground for scans on a back problem on day two on Saturday.
The fast bowler, who has been by far the most influential player in the five-match series, left the ground with the India team doctor about an hour after the lunch break.
“He had a back spasm,” his teammate Prasidh Krishna told reporters after play.
“He went for scans and the medical team is monitoring him, so we’ll know whenever the medical team gets back to us.
Bumrah, India’s leader and top performer in the series, is now a doubt for the rest of the fifth Test
“No matter who is leading us as a team, I think we’re very well prepared as a bowling unit. The plan was pretty clear even when Bumrah was not there.”
Krishna took 3-42 as India dismissed Australia for 181 on Saturday, but they were only 145 runs in front at the close of play with four wickets in hand, three if Bumrah is unable to bat.
His absence would be even more noticeable if Australia were chasing a relatively small victory target, given the skipper has taken 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 so far in the series.
“If he wasn’t to be there, then India would have to come up with a new plan,” said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.
“He’s the leading wicket-taker in the series, so you’d say that it would be slightly beneficial for us. He can bowl on any surface, anywhere. He’s a threat anytime. We knew that, coming into the series, he’s an incredibly talented bowler.”