When Jasprit Bumrah left the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for scans having experienced back spasms after bowling just one over post-lunch on Saturday, the Australians must have been bubbling with joy.

But, on this occasion, Bumrah’s pace colleagues made sure to stand up. Both Mohammed Siraj (3/51) and Prasidh Krishna (3/42) bagged three wickets apiece as for the first time in this Border-Ga­vaskar Trophy, the Indian bowling attack could attain success without having to rely on their spearhead.

Thanks to Siraj and Pra­sidh, India were able to bowl Australia out for 181 and squeeze out a four-run lead on a spicy Sydney pitch in this fifth and final Test.

Thereafter, in the second essay, the top-order invariably struggled against Scott Boland (4/42) before Rishabh Pant’s innings (61 off 33 balls) brought India back into the contest, helping them to an overall lead of 145 as the visitors reached 141/6 at stumps on Day II.

Batting hasn’t been easy on this SCG wicket, and it’s unlikely that the spice on the surface will lessen considerably on Day III. No matter how many runs Australia get to chase, both teams will have their fingers crossed about whether Bumrah will bowl in the fourth innings.

Bumrah shouldn’t be having any problem batting, but as for his bowling, it will only be known on Sunday after monitoring from India’s medical team.

Former skipper Virat Kohli led the team in interim captain Bumrah’s absence. While with the bat, Kohli for yet another time in his Test career, perished poking outside the off stump, with the captain’s cap on, the bowlers ensured he didn’t have too hard a time.

Siraj continued to look sharp, but the star with the ball for India was well and truly Prasidh. Picked in the squad for his ability to extract awkward bounce, the Karnataka quick made fine use of the conditions, breaking the dangerous-looking partnership between the back-in-form Smith (33) and Webster (57), accounting for 57.

Smith was Prasidh’s first Test wicket on Australian soil. For his second, Prasidh shaped one in to clean up a set Alex Carey before the extra bounce accounted for Webster.

The good work from the bowlers seemed in vain when poor application had India wobbling again at 78/4 in their second innings. With a lead of just 82, Pant played the way he knows best.

Too much focus on defence lately hadn’t been of much help to him. So, off the
very first ball he faced, Pant shimmied down the track to loft Boland over mid-on for half a dozen.

The ramp shot, which had cost him his wicket and drawn criticism, was also on display as Pant decided he would bat in the T20 mode.

India would have liked more runs, but Pant’s knock has kept the contest alive.