Indian batsmen fail again as Australia dominates in Sydney Test

India’s struggles with the bat continued in the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia in Sydney, as the entire Indian team was dismissed for just 185 runs in their first innings.

The much-anticipated match, which marks the last encounter in the five-match series, saw India’s batting lineup fall short yet again. Despite a leadership change, with Rohit Sharma being dropped and Jasprit Bumrah taking over as captain, India’s fortunes did not improve. Bumrah won the toss and chose to bat first, but his team failed to deliver.

None of the Indian batsmen could score a half-century, with Rishabh Pant being the highest scorer for India, contributing 40 runs. Ravindra Jadeja added 26 runs, and Bumrah himself made 22 runs. Shubman Gill, replacing Rohit Sharma, also failed to make an impact and was dismissed for just 20 runs.

Australia’s bowling attack dominated, with Scott Boland leading the charge. He claimed 4 wickets for 31 runs, while Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets, Pat Cummins grabbed 2, and Nathan Lyon claimed 1 wicket.

The ongoing series sees Australia with an unassailable 2-1 lead, with one match having been washed out due to rain. India’s sole victory in the series came in the first Test, where Bumrah also captained the side.

Should India lose the Sydney Test, they will not only lose the series but also be knocked out of the World Test Championship final set to take place next year. A win would give India a chance to keep their hopes alive for the final, but they would still need to rely on the outcome of the upcoming two-Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka next month. Even if Australia loses the Sydney Test, a victory over Sri Lanka would ensure India’s elimination from the World Test Championship final race.