Australia grabbed an early lead in Sydney in the decisive fifth Test of the World Test Championship against India.
India dismissed captain Rohit Sharma but their batting woes continued as they were dismissed for 185 on the opening day of the crucial fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney.
Scott Boland led the way with four for 31 on Friday as Australia’s bowlers enjoyed seam-friendly conditions to restrict India’s scoring and knock down the wickets with a regularity that delighted the sell-out crowd of 48,000.
Only the doubt of what Jasprit Bumrah, the outstanding bowler of the series and Rohit’s replacement as captain, could do on the surface limited the joy of the home fans gathered at the familiar old ground.
They got a hint from the last ball of the three overs that India managed to bowl before the end of play when Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja for two.
Teenager Sam Konstas, who had a brief spat with Bumrah just before Khawaja’s departure, will continue at seven rather than at out with Australia nine for one.
Australia lead the series 2-1 and will not only seal the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also a place in the World Test Cup final against South Africa with a win in the final.
“I thought all the shot putters were really good. Beating them for less than 200 was a great day,” said Australian debutant all-rounder Beau Webster, who admitted it might not be the highest-scoring surface. “I’m still not sure what a good result is, until both teams deal with it,” he added.
Boland hastened the end of India’s struggling innings early in the final session when he caught Rishabh Pant at mid-off for 40 and dismissed Melbourne centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy off consecutive balls.
Washington Sundar was bowled by Boland’s hat-trick ball without making contact with it, but Ravindra Jadeja was soon trapped in front of Mitchell Starc (3-49) for 26 to leave India on 134-7.
Sundar was unlucky to depart for 14 when TV review revealed his glove had touched a Pat Cummins delivery, while Bumrah wag his tail with 22 runs from 17 balls before the Australian skipper caught him at mid-wicket to end the innings.
Pant said he would have been happier with another 40 or 50 runs, but felt India’s score was not that far from par for a tricky wicket. “It’s still a very competitive score, because of the way the ball is moving now,” he told reporters. “There’s a lot of help for the bowler and hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
India could still retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a win, but they didn’t look back from the moment Bumrah won the toss to send his team into the game.
Cummins said he would have done the same, but the paceman was still licking his lips at the greenish tinge on the wicket – and the leaden sky over Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
The tourists had 11 runs on the board when Rahul departed for four and just six more when Jaiswal, on 10, was caught at slip with Boland.
Boland thought he had Virat Kohli for a golden duck off the next delivery, but the cheers of the crowd turned to jeers when the ball was ruled to have kissed the grass when Steve Smith lifted it for Marnus Labuschagne to catch.
Cummins bowled Nathan Lyon for the final over before lunch and the spinner removed Shubman Gill, Rohit’s batting replacement, for 20 with a lead in the busy slip cordon.
Kohli had scored 17 runs off 69 balls when he became Boland’s second victim with a stinging delivery outside off that Webster collected with a fine dive in the slips.
Bumrah said at the toss that Rohit’s absence from the team was the 37-year-old’s own choice. “Our captain showed leadership by deciding to rest in this game,” he explained.
