Australia has been set an awkward 162-run target for victory in the New Year’s Test at the SCG, while India is ten wickets away from retaining the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a fifth straight series.
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India was bowled out for 157 in 39.5 overs after captain Pat Cummins (3-44 from 15 overs) and fellow seamer Scott Boland (6-45 from 16.5 overs) cleaned up the tail on Sunday morning.
It was the Victorian’s second six-wicket haul in Tests, putting his name on the SCG Honours Board for the first time.
Australia’s success in Sydney could well be defined by the involvement of Jasprit Bumrah, who left the SCG midway through day 2 in his training kit for scans.
India explained his absence was due to back spasms, but there have been suggestions from experts that his true injury could be more sinister.
Vaughan said on Fox Cricket that the outcome of the entire series could be decided by what happens next with Bumrah.
“We’ve all seen enough cricket that when a player goes in a vehicle to go and get scans it’s not just a back spasm, it has to be something a little bit worse than that,” he said.
“I’d go as far as to say if he’s done bowling in the second innings, Australia will win the game.
“If Bumrah is bowling at the pitch we’ve seen at the SCG I think India are in a really good position… if they can get to 200 and Bumrah can be bowling, I think it’ll be a tough chase for Australia.
“But if Bumrah is not able to bowl in that second innings, I think Australia will be able to chase it down.”
Bhogle backed up Vaughan’s opinion on Bumrah’s injury, saying on Test Daily: “If he’s going for scans, it’s not just a back spasm.”
It’s still unclear whether Bumrah will be available to bowl to defend India’s total, and the trophy.
Mark Howard revealed on Fox Cricket that Bumrah did not participate in India’s warm-up while the team’s other bowlers took part.
FIRST SESSION
Hunting four wickets to wrap up India’s innings, Australian captain Pat Cummins created early inroads by removing Ravindra Jadeja, who was dropped the previous evening on 6, with the Kookaburra nipping away from the left-hander and kissing the blade through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Edged dropped short or sailed through the slips cordon as India added previous runs to the overnight tally before Cummins produced an absolute peach to bowl all-rounder Washington Sundar through the gate.
Boland secured his five-wicket haul by toppling Mohammed Siraj, caught by Usman Khawaja at first slip for 4, before he knocked over rival captain Jasprit Birth for a third-ball duck.
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EARLIER
Fifteen wickets fell on a wild second day with the seam-friendly deck wreaking havoc on batters.
An explosive Rishabh Pant slammed the second-fastest Indian Test half-century Saturday to drive the visitors to a 145-run lead with four wickets left after an intense day two of the decisive fifth Test against Australia.
Speaking after day two’s play ended, Gavaskar said that if 15 wickets had been taken in India “all hell would have broken loose”.
“We had Glenn McGrath saying he’d never seen so much grass. Did you hear any former India cricketer moan about the pitch?” Gavaskar told ABC Grandstand Radio.
“When we go out and play cricket we will toughen it out. And if we are beaten, we are beaten. Overseas it’s very difficult to beat home teams.
“I did say that when we saw the pitch yesterday, the cows could have gone and grazed on it.
“This is not the ideal Test match pitch that you want because you want it to go into a fourth and fifth day. Unless there is rain I don’t see us being here on day four.”
Brett Lee revealed during his pitch report for day three that, when bowling from the Paddington End, there are “divots” in the wicket on a six-metre length that are causing havoc.
“There’s undulation here, a few divots,” Lee pointed out. “It may have been why Scott Boland changed ends (yesterday).”
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Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Beau Webster, who top-scored with 57 and has now taken a wicket in his debut Test, said it has been a “hell” of an introduction to the format.
“It’s been in fast-forward mode,” added Webster.
“With the amount of wickets, I am just happy that I could contribute with the bat, few catches and wicket there as well, so really happy.
“It’s a real tussle. We don’t know what a good score is yet and obviously plenty on offer for the quicks.”
Prasidh Krishna said India didn’t have a particular target in mind on Sunday.
“As many runs as possible would be great for us because we don’t know what the wicket will be behaving like for us,” said Prasidh.
“There’s no particular number in mind, but as many as we can score. We are ready to bowl them out for whatever.”
Australia lead the series 2-1 with India needing to win at the Sydney Cricket Ground to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
