Pant Breaks Free; Bumrah Injures Back

Fast bowler awaits scan results and his bowling will be key if India are to win the SCG Test to square series and retain BGT

- HT Correspondent

SYDNEY: Have we had even one sane day of Test cricket in this Border Gavaskar Trophy series? Each day has found its own tempo; its own heroes and moments that make you yell in anguish or leave thanking the cricketing gods. The Sydney Test is no different.

If Day 1 was a battle of attrition, Day 2 at the SCG saw both teams press the fast forward button with 15 wickets falling. On days like these, when there is so much happening, things can get a little blurry, but certain moments stay with you. Look back and see — each person has his/her own list — and it'll give you an idea of what you truly appreciate in the game. Is it forward defence? Accurate bowling? Fielding? A batter going nuts?

At close of play, the match was interestingly poised — India are 145 runs ahead, thanks largely to a typically mad Rishabh Pant knock of 61 off 33 balls, with four wickets in hand.

With Jasprit Bumrah, a total of around 170 might be defendable, but the pacer was laid low by back spasm and left the field for roughly half of the Australian innings. He is being monitored by the medical team, but his sheer presence on the field will be a big boost to the visitors.

At various points during Saturday, Australia had the chance of moving ahead. But a Bumrah-less India still found the will and resolve to pull them back on a wicket that spiced things up. The hosts were dismissed for 181 in their first essay with Prasidh Krishna — playing his first Test of the series — taking 3/42, Mohammed Siraj 3/51 and Nitish Reddy 2/32. A four-run lead may not mean much, but it is a big deal in terms of the confidence it gives to the bowling group.