Boland, Pant shine as SCG Test hangs in balance
What's the story
The ongoing fifth Test between India and Australia is hanging in balance at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
India's pace bowlers proved their mettle on the second day of the ongoing Test match against Australia, limiting the hosts to 181/10.
However, the visitors then finished the day at 141/6 thanks to a breathtaking fifty from Rishabh Pant.
Scott Boland took four wickets. As India managed 185/10 batting first, their overall lead has now been extended to 145 runs.
Early pressure
Bumrah and Siraj's early onslaught on Australia
Australia resumed Day 2 at 9/1.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj got off to a fiery start, putting early pressure on the Australian batters.
Despite sunny conditions, the green pitch with high seam movement made batting difficult.
Bumrah continued his day one heroics by sending Marnus Labuschagne back early on day two.
Sam Konstas tried counterattacking but was eventually dismissed by Siraj who found his rhythm outside off stump.
Counterattack
Smith and Webster's resistance against India
On his home ground, Steve Smith survived a few close calls while leaving the ball expertly.
In Webster, he found a reliable partner to counter India's bowling change-ups as runs began to flow in.
The pair added 57 runs for the fifth wicket, giving Australia some much-needed respite.
It must be noted that the hosts were 39/4 when Smith joined Webster in the middle.
Crucial dismissal
Krishna's breakthrough gives India the upper hand
As Smith approached the milestone of 10,000 Test runs, he fell for 33, edging Krishna to second slip.
This provided India with a much-needed boost which they carried into the next session.
The final score saw Australia at 181 all out with Beau Webster scoring 57 and Steve Smith contributing 33.
Prasidh Krishna was the pick of Indian bowlers with figures of three for 42. Siraj also claimed three wickets.
Smith
Smith accomplishes 5,000 Test runs at home
Smith, who departed for 33 off 57 balls, went past 5,000 Test runs at home.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Smith has racked up 5,011 runs from 58 home Tests at an incredible average of 60.37.
He is now just five runs short of completing 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
Smith is set to become only the fourth Australian player to achieve the feat.
Rising stars
Young Indian bowlers rise to the occasion
Though Bumrah left the field after bowling just seven overs on the day, the youngsters stood up in his absence.
Nitish Reddy took two wickets in two balls, getting Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc out.
The slip cordon was flawless all day long, further strengthened when Prasidh Krishna caught debutant Beau Webster at gully for 57.
Webster was Australia's only resilient batter who kept their innings afloat with his steady performance.
Webster
Debut fifty for Webster
Webster departed for 57 off 105 balls as he smoked five boundaries.
The all-rounder was 31 years and 33 days old at the time of his debut.
Adam Voges (35y 242d) and Aaron Finch (31y 324d) are the only older Aussies to score a debut Test fifty since 2000.
As per ESPNcricinfo, this was his 25th fifty in First-Class cricket as he has raced to 5,354 runs across 94 matches at an average of 37-plus.
India innings
Pant shines for India
India were off to a fine start with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (22) and KL Rahul (13) adding 42 runs.
However, Scott Boland took three wickets in no time as India were reduced to 78/4.
Pant then unleashed an onslaught with a 29-ball half-century, the second-fastest by an Indian in Tests.
Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy's departed in quick succession to hand Australia the command once again.
All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar returned unbeaten.
Pant
Pant scripts history with breathtaking fifty
As mentioned, Pant scored the second-fastest half-century by an Indian.
The southpaw's explosive half-century came off just 29 balls.
This comes close to his own record of a half-century off 28 balls against Sri Lanka in 2022.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Pant also recorded the fastest Test fifty by a visiting batter in Australia.
Career
3,000 Test runs loading for Pant
Pant perished for 61 off 33 balls as he smoked six fours and four maximums.
This was his only fifty in BGT 2024-25 as he finished the series with 255 runs at 28.33.
Overall, Pant has raced to 2,948 runs from 43 matches at 42.11 (50s: 15, 100: 6).
The southpaw has managed 879 runs in 12 matches against Australia at 46.26 (50s: 3, 100: 1). All of his runs against the Aussies have come Down Under.
DYK
Boland joins Murphy and Anderson
Boland dismissed Virat Kohli four times across five meetings in the BGT 2024-25.
The batter has managed just 28 runs off 68 balls in this battle.
Meanwhile, Boland's compatriot Todd Murphy (2023) and former England pacer James Anderson (2014) are the only other bowlers to trap Kohli four times in a bilateral Test series.
Overall, Kohli became Boland's bunny for fifth time in Test cricket.