Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant batted through the second session of Day 5, showing resilience as they helped India remain steady in their chase of a draw at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The duo’s efforts saw India reach 112/3 at Tea, with the team trailing Australia by 228 runs. More crucially, they managed to eat into the number of overs remaining, leaving 38 left in the day’s play.
Jaiswal, who had been under pressure from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the morning session, found some relief after Lunch. With the pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers, the left-hander seized the opportunity to score runs. His ability to play his shots comfortably was evident, especially as he faced off against Starc. At one point, Jaiswal engaged in a brief conversation with the Australian fast bowler, but Pant quickly stepped in, offering calming words to his young partner.
While Jaiswal reached his second Test fifty of the match, his slowest, it was his patience that stood out. His 127-ball half-century was a testament to his determination. Together with Pant, Jaiswal achieved what India’s top-order could not: surviving the challenging new-ball spells from Starc and Cummins. Jaiswal, despite playing and missing several times against Starc’s outswingers, remained unscathed until the break.
Earlier, Pat Cummins struck in the final overs before Lunch, taking two crucial wickets. Rohit Sharma, who had been cautious, fell to Cummins, and KL Rahul followed soon after, unable to avoid an outside edge. Virat Kohli, who had shown promise, also fell cheaply, nicking a ball from Cummins to Usman Khawaja at slips.
Australia entered the second session with hopes of further breakthroughs, but Jaiswal and Pant’s patient batting foiled their plans. Pant, having been criticized for an aggressive and reckless shot in the first innings, showcased maturity this time. He focused on defense, resisting the temptation to attack Nathan Lyon or any of the Australian pacers. Pant’s discipline was evident, as he went to Tea with a well-crafted 28 off 93 balls.
Brief Scores:
- India: 369 & 112/3 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 63*, Pat Cummins 2-19, Mitchell Starc 1-24)
- Australia: 474 & 234 (Marnus Labuschagne 70; Jasprit Bumrah 5-56, Mohammed Siraj 3-70)
India still trails by 228 runs as they battle to save the Test.