India had a horror start to the defence of the target, leaking 35 runs in the first three overs with both Siraj and Prasidh struggling for control
Prasidh Krishna celebrates the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Even with Jasprit Bumrah, India would have been hard pressed to defend a modest 162 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Without their captain and their bowling spearhead, India didn’t have much of a chance, no matter with how much skill and heart Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled.
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The record books will show that Australia won the last of the five Tests on Sunday afternoon by six wickets, with two and a half sessions to spare, to complete a 3-1 series triumph and renew their acquaintance with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. But they won’t tell the full tale of India’s spunk and spirit, best exemplified by Siraj and Prasidh, who gave it their all during extended opening bursts of 11 and 10 overs respectively as they strove manfully to compensate for Bumrah’s unavailability.
India bowled out for 157
Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t prevent Australia from knocking off the 162 runs required for victory with reasonable ease. India could add just 16 to their overnight 141 for six, being bowled out for 157 with Player-of-the-Match Scott Boland finishing with 6-45. Bumrah braved back spasms and came out to bat at No. 10, briefly raising hopes that he would be back with the ball as well, but that wasn’t to be.
Also Read: India pay price for poor batting
India had a horror start to the defence of the target, leaking 35 runs in the first three overs with both Siraj and Prasidh struggling for control. There were eight wides in the first two overs and Australia raced away through Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, perhaps batting for his place in the side, when the former’s propensity to try and slog every ball triggered a mini-collapse.
Bowling rapidly and hitting good lengths, Prasidh dismissed Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith as Australia slid from 39-0 to 58-3. Smith received a snorter that he spliced to gully, his dismissal for four leaving him one short of becoming the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.
India sensed an opening, but only that much, because they knew that they didn’t have the depth in pace resources to keep challenging Australia. The heavy workload of the series eventually caught up with Siraj and while there was no lack of effort, he wasn’t getting the same purchase he would have had he been fresher and been able to bowl in short, sharp bursts.
Khawaja and Travis Head steadied the ship and the left-handed opener exploded in a flurry of boundaries after the lunch break when Siraj finally found reward for perseverance, Khawaja becoming his 100th Test victim when he under-edged a pull to Rishabh Pant. Beau Webster arrived full of intent and Head quickly followed suit to snip any potential artificial excitement, Webster celebrating a terrific debut Test by smacking the winning boundary off Washington Sundar.
Cummins shatters hopes
Washington and Ravindra Jadeja held the key to India adding useful runs in the morning, but it wasn’t long before Pat Cummins shattered Indian hopes by having the latter caught behind. Cummins also produced a beauty that cut back in to bowl Washington through the gate, after which Boland took over. The chief destroyer of the previous evening got rid of Siraj and Bumrah in the space of three deliveries on his way to a second five-fer in Tests, finishing with excellent match figures of 10-76.
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