Sydney, Jan 3 (NationPress) Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja came together for an unbroken partnership of 35 runs, ensuring India remained stable as they reached 107/4 in 50 overs at tea on the opening day of the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
The session was characterized by a steady pace, with India losing Virat Kohli early and facing a challenging Australian bowling attack. Pant endured several hits to his body and helmet, remaining not out with a score of 32 off 80 balls.
Meanwhile, Jadeja has been cautious at the other end, scoring 11 not out off 50 balls, and he was given a lifeline when Steve Smith dropped his catch at slip. The post-lunch session began poorly for India when Scott Boland sharply seamed the ball away, leading to Kohli's dismissal for 17 off 69 balls as he edged a catch to debutant Beau Webster.
Mitchell Starc escalated his pace, leaving Pant with a bruise on his bicep and hitting him on the helmet, forcing the left-handed batsman to play cautiously. Starc's speed posed a challenge for Jadeja, who struggled to evade his rapid bouncers.
After slicing Starc for four runs past backward point, Pant charged down the pitch to hit Webster over the sightscreen for six, despite taking another blow. Jadeja finally found his first boundary by driving Nathan Lyon past the non-striker for four runs, although he was dropped by the off-spinner at five against Webster. Pant concluded a slow-scoring session for India with a cut shot against Lyon that found the gap between backward point and cover point.
Brief Scores: India 107/4 in 50 overs (Rishabh Pant 32 not out, Shubman Gill 20; Scott Boland 2-15, Nathan Lyon 1-13) against Australia
