India vs Australia 5th Test Day 1: India Crumble for 185 as Boland, Starc Shine; Pant Top-Scores with 40

India’s batting falters on Day 1 at the SCG as Rishabh Pant’s gritty knock goes in vain; Boland and Starc dominate with the ball.

January 3, 2025: India’s batting woes continued on Day 1 of the 5th Test against Australia at the SCG, as the team was bundled out for 185 runs. Despite a fighting knock of 40 runs by Rishabh Pant, the Indian lower order crumbled under pressure from the disciplined Australian bowling attack.

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Key Highlights:

• Rishabh Pant: Top-scored with 40 but couldn’t prevent the collapse.
• Jasprit Bumrah: Played a brief cameo, scoring 22 runs.
• Scott Boland: Starred with the ball, claiming key wickets including Virat Kohli and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
• Mitchell Starc: Provided crucial breakthroughs with his fiery spells.

India’s innings started on a shaky note after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal departed early. Virat Kohli, who initially looked composed, fell yet again while chasing a wide delivery from Boland, continuing his struggles outside the off-stump.

While Pant and Jadeja attempted to stabilize the innings with a patient 48-run partnership, Boland struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Pant and Reddy in back-to-back deliveries.

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India’s collapse was further accelerated by Starc’s lethal short deliveries, which kept the Indian tailenders in check.

Session Breakdown:

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• First Session: India 57/3 at Lunch, with Rahul, Jaiswal, and Kohli back in the pavilion.
• Second Session: India reached 107/4 at Tea, with Pant and Jadeja grinding out a gritty stand.
• Third Session: A swift collapse post-Pant’s dismissal saw India bowled out for 185.

Australian Bowling Dominance:

• Scott Boland: 4 wickets
• Mitchell Starc: 3 wickets
• Nathan Lyon: 2 wickets

What Lies Ahead:

With India posting a below-par total on the first day, the spotlight now shifts to their bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah, as they aim to restrict Australia and claw back into the game.

The Indian team will need a spirited performance with the ball to stay alive in the series and keep their slim World Test Championship Final hopes alive.

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India vs Australia 5th Test, Rishabh Pant 40 Runs, Scott Boland 4 Wickets, Mitchell Starc Bowling, Virat Kohli Dismissal, WTC Final India, Sydney Test Day 1 Highlights.