Rishabh Pant slammed the second-fastest Indian Test half century on Saturday to drive the visitors to a 145-run lead with four wickets left after an intense second day of action in the decisive fifth Test against Australia.
At the close in Sydney, India were 141-6 with Ravindra Jadeja on eight and Washington Sundar six after they dismissed Australia for 181 in reply to their first-innings 185.
Australia lead the series 2-1 with India needing to win at the Sydney Cricket Ground to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Pant signalled his intent by hammering a six on his first ball and then reached 50 after just 29 deliveries with another big heave that cleared the ropes. Only his 28-ball half-century against Sri Lanka in 2022 was faster for India.
He was eventually dismissed for 61 off 33 by Pat Cummins, but Scott Boland was India's main tormentor, taking 4-42. Pant's heroics set up an exciting finale, amid doubts over whether skipper Jasprit Bumrah will take any further part.
He left the field after bowling one over following lunch and was driven away from the SCG for hospital scans. Bumrah was seen returning shortly before stumps. In his absence, Prasidh Krishna (3-42), Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2-32) stepped up to fill the void and dismiss Australia after they resumed on 9-1.
"It's been a hell of a Test, it's been in fast-forward mode," said Australian all-rounder Beau Webster, who top-scored with 57 and took a wicket.
"With the amount of wickets, I am just happy that I could contribute with the bat, few catches and wicket there as well, so really happy.
"It's a real tussle," he added. "We don't know what a good score is yet and obviously plenty on offer for the quicks."
Yashasvi Jaiswal got India's second innings off to a fast start, crunching four boundaries from the first over by Mitchell Starc.
But the opening partnership was broken when KL Rahul was bowled for 13 by Boland, whose line and length was impeccable throughout. He struck again in his next over with a ball that nipped back to exact the same punishment to Jaiswal (22).
Virat Kohli desperately needed a big score - for himself and the team - but failed once again, caught in the slips for six with Boland once more the architect.
It was likely the 36-year-old Kohli's last Test innings in Australia, with India usually only visiting every four years.
Webster claimed Shubman Gill (13) as his first Test wicket, but at the other end Pant was on a mission until an edge off Cummins carried to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Boland claimed his fourth to remove Reddy cheaply.
"As many runs as possible would be great for us because we don't know what the wicket will be behaving like for us," said India bowler Prasidh Krishna. "There's no particular number in mind, but as many as we can score. We are ready to bowl them out for whatever."
Earlier in the day, Australia had lost Sam Konstas (23), Marnus Labuschagne (two), Travis Head (four) and Steve Smith (33) before lunch. In front of his home crowd, Smith looked set to become only the 15th batsman and fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.
But he was made to wait, five runs short, after Prasidh enticed an edge to Rahul in the slips.
The home side resumed after a dramatic final-ball wicket on Friday when Bumrah - captaining the side after Rohit Sharma was "rested" - had Usman Khawaja caught.
That Australian body blow came two balls after Bumrah and Konstas had a tense exchange. The 19-year-old Konstas padded up again on seven with new partner Labuschagne, who didn't last with Bumrah getting the faintest edge to Pant.
A fearless Konstas slammed Bumrah to the boundary, then produced an audacious reverse ramp shot for another four. But the teenager overplayed his hand and fell to a Siraj outswinger, attempting a drive that flew to Jaiswal at gully.
Siraj removed Head in the same over with another gem to leave Australia at 39-4. Smith and Webster, who replaced the dropped Mitchell Marsh, began the rebuild before Prasidh dismissed the veteran just before lunch and bowled Carey soon after their return.
India then took 3-4, with Reddy at the forefront, as the tail collapsed.
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If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
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Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
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