BGT: Pant's fireworks keep Indian hopes alive on Day 2

Wicketkeeper-batter brings T20 flavour to Test cricket as 15 wickets fall on second day of Sydney Test

- TRIDIB BAPARNASH

Handicapped after the loss of their pace spearhead and stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, the rest of the Indian bowling rose to the occasion to snatch a four-run first-innings lead before Rishabh Pant's blazing second innings counterpunch kept the visitors' hopes alive in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy despite Scott Boland's impressive four-wicket haul restoring parity at the end of the 15-wicket Day 2 of the Sydney Test.

With series honours and a potential World Test Championship Final spot on the line, both teams enjoyed phases of the day on top, and despite India's top order once again crumbling once again in the face of disciplined bowling on a tricky SCG surface where the ball deviated alarmingly, Pant decided to take the attack back to the opposition, and returned to his original avatar to fire 61 off 33 balls.