IND vs AUS 5th Test Day 2 Highlights: India Holds Narrow Lead of 145 Runs: On Day 2, Australia resumed overnight at 9/1 by forging a highly critical partnership of 50 runs. Debutant Beau Webster and Steve Smith salvaged the innings. Steve Smith scored 33 runs off 57 balls, while Webster added 57 runs off 105 balls. However, the rest of the lineup could not continue from the nineties. Alex Carry showed promise with a gutsy contribution of 21 runs off 36 balls.
Disciplined performances spearheaded the bowling brigade of India. The best of the lot was Prasidh Krishna, who took 3/42 in 11.5 overs. Mohammed Siraj captured 3/51 in 14 overs while consistently troubling Australia’s batsmen. The incisive control of Ravindra Jadeja (2/38 in 16 overs) proved crucial, and Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with an early strike (2/35 in 11 overs) before having to leave the field for medical scans, raising injury concerns. The eventual outcome was that Australia took 181 runs to concede a narrow 4-run lead to India.
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India’s 2nd Innings
India’s second innings started on a shaky note. Openers KL Rahul (5) and Shubman Gill (8) have been dismissed early by the Australian pace attack. Counterattacking 61 runs off 89 balls, with 8 fours and a six, brought Rishabh Pant back to life in the innings. Ravindra Jadeja finished as an unbeaten top scorer, adding another 26 off 72 balls, while the bottom order saved with Washington Sundar adding to the tally with an additional 14 off 36 balls.
Scott Boland once again proved to be the star bowler for Australia, this time taking 4 wickets for 42 runs in 16 overs as he knocked down the top and middle orders of India. Another support was Nathan Lyon (1/35 in 10 overs) and Mitchell Starc (1/48 in 14 overs). At the end of Day 141/6 in 50 overs, India had a narrow lead of 145 runs.
Key Moments of the Day 2 of IND vs AUS 5th Test
The Indian captain limped off the field after taking two wickets, and his fitness remains the biggest concern. On the other end, Rishabh Pant’s aggressive knock earned India his innings highlight, and from the precarious position, the country got rescued. Scott Boland continues his dream run, and he was today possibly the most impactful bowler.
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Looking Ahead to Day 3
Lower-order India, led by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, will wish to build on that 145-run lead with four wickets in hand. Australia, meanwhile, will be looking at Nathan Lyon to punish the deteriorating surface, while Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc will continue applying pressure with reverse swing.
Day 3 promises to be a crucial turning point in this tightly contested match where both teams are battling for supremacy in the final Test of the series.
