Sharma’s karma as India crumble after captain falls in 5th Test against Australia

SYDNEY (AP) — Despite the absence of captain Rohit Sharma, India’s batting order fell apart again when they were bowled out for 185 on the first day of the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

Sharma was replaced as captain by Jasprit Bumrah, whose decision to bat first on a green-tinged SCG pitch backfired when Australia’s bowlers took advantage of the lively wicket to break through India’s batting line-up.

Scott Boland took 4-31 in 20 overs, while Mitchell Starc took 3-49, as India were bowled out for less than 200 for the fifth time in the series.

In the decisive moments, Australia scored 9-1 in reply, with Bumrah (1-7) and Usman Khawaja (2) caught at slip.

The new captain immediately celebrated in the direction of Sam Konstas after a gripping final over in which the young batsman and Bumrah engaged in a verbal exchange just two balls earlier.

“I feel like they had a little talk, they (Australia) wanted to waste some time,” goalkeeper Rishabh Pant said. “I didn’t hear it, but I feel like that’s the only thing (Konstas) wanted to do: wait a little bit so we don’t play again.”

The start of the fifth test mirrored the previous four, as the players dominated from the start.

After several deliveries edged the bat outside off stump, Starc found more joy by bowling straighter when Rahul (4) bowled a simple catch to Konstas at square leg in the fifth over.

Boland only needed four balls off Jaiswal (10) for the young opener to play a ball to debutant Beau Webster, replacing Mitch Marsh.

That brought Kohli, the pantomime villain of the series, to the crease. Kohli was greeted with boos from many in the SCG crowd, due to his deliberate shoulder bump on Konstas on the opening morning of the Boxing Day Test for which he was later fined.

And as expected, their first dance was the most dramatic of the session. Boland took the edge and flew low to the right hand of Steve Smith at second slip. Smith appeared to reach just under the ball before it fell to the ground and the ball appeared for Marnus Labuschagne to complete the catch, sparking wild celebrations for the hosts.

The catch was referred to television umpire Joel Wilson and replays suggested the ball skimmed the turf as it left Smith’s hand and Kohli survived.

As lunch approached, Nathan Lyon (1-19) outwitted Gill (20) to close in on Smith.

Kohli’s (17) luck did not extend much further after the break and he again fell behind Boland to be the only Indian wicket to fall in a slow middle session.

Pant, who was widely criticized after a couple of weak dismissals in Melbourne, again played a rash shot to hole out Boland for 40, leading to a collapse of 6-65 to end India’s innings.

“It was obviously pretty easy…so the plan was to throw a little fuller and try to, you know, draw in those front-foot defenses and front-foot drives and I thought Scotty (Boland) was excellent,” Webster said. .

Australia leads the series 2-1 and must avoid defeat to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15. A win for India and a series tied 2-2 would allow the visitors to retain the trophy for a record fifth consecutive time.

A victory for Australia at the SCG would book the team’s place in a second consecutive World Test Championship final. Australia beat India in the 2023 decider. South Africa became the first team to qualify for the WTC final at Lord’s in June win a dramatic home match against Pakistan last weekend.

India leaves Sharma

Shortly before the match intense speculation that Sharma would be ruled out of the final Test was confirmed and Bumrah was named India captain.

With scores of 3, 6, 10, 3 and 9 at an average of 6.2 for the series, Sharma has had a miserable tour since returning to the team for the second Test after missing India’s comprehensive victory in the first trial in Perth for paternity. leave.

While Bumrah said Sharma had been rested, the 37-year-old’s Test career would now appear in doubt, despite India’s poor performance with the bat without their captain in trouble.