Decider on a knife-edge after Pant blast: 5th Test, Day 2 (SCG)

Wicket keeper Rishabh Pant's stunning 61 helped give India a lead of 145 runs in the final Test against Australia after an enthralling second day that saw 15 wickets fall.

Pant hit the second-fastest fifty for India in Test cricket, reaching the landmark off just 29 balls as the visitors recovered to 141-6 at stumps.

Earlier, India dominated play with Mohammed Siraj (3/51), Prasidh Krishna (3/42), and Nitish Reddy (2/32) stepping up in the absence of the injured Jasprit Bumrah (2/33), to dismiss Australia for 181. Beau Webster top scored for the hosts with 57 as India took a first-innings lead of just four runs.

India 141 for 6 (Pant 61, Boland 4-42) and 185 lead Australia 181 (Webster 57, Smith 33, Prasidh 3-42, Siraj 3-51) by 145 runs.

Jan 2025.