Sydney Test: Prasidh ousts Smith as India reduce Australia 101 for 5 at lunch

PTI, Jan 4, 2025, 8:07 AM IST

Credit: X / @BCCI

Sydney: Mohammed Siraj was menacing during his first spell, grabbing two wickets with perfectly pitched outswingers before Prasidh Krishna sent back in-form Steve Smith as India reduced Australia to 101 for 5 at lunch on the second day of the fifth Test here on Saturday.

Smith (33) was involved in a nice little 57-run stand for the fifth wicket with Beau Webster after Siraj had rocked the top-order with two wickets in four balls to reduce the hosts to 39 for 4.

Prasidh (1/21 in 6 overs) was proving to be a weak link, bowling multiple release deliveries in his first spell as he couldn’t find the correct length but Bumrah changed his ends and it proved to be a masterstroke.

He bowled the perfect length to square up Smith and KL Rahul took the leading edge in the second slip.

Smith’s dismissal made it an excellent session for India, while Webster (28 batting) and Ale Carey (4 batting) are at crease when the lunch was taken.

The day started with Sam Konstas (23 off 38 balls) giving charge to opposition skipper Bumrah (2/27 in 9 overs) with his reverse lap but Marnus Labuschagne (2) dismissed quickly.

Bumrah got one to rear up from a good length and there was just enough away movement to kiss the right-hand batter’s outside edge before resting in Rishabh Pant’s gloves.

Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoul Ibne Saikat had ruled it not out but TV replays showed a clear spike.

Konstas has the unconventional edge to his game, but his defence isn’t the most compact one.

Finally, Siraj (2/28 in 10 overs) got his perfectly pitched outswingers landing on that five metre length and Konstas’ drive resulted in an edge towards gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal pouched it without much ado.

Travis Head (4) started with a beautiful on-drive but then got one that jagged in (inswinger for left-hander) and as the bat face closed, the leading edge travelled at a good height for Rahul in the slips.

At 39 for 4, India could have gone for the kill but Prasidh, known for his profligacy, was far from accurate allowing the hosts to claw their way back.

But Prasidh luckily found his mojo just when it mattered the most.