India’s pacer Mohammed Siraj delivered a sensational spell on Day 2 of the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday, January 4. Starting the day with precision and control, Siraj held his line just outside the off-stump, relentlessly testing the Australian batters. His persistence paid off early when he forced an edge from Sam Konstas, which Yashasvi Jaiswal sharply took at gully.
Just three deliveries later, Siraj struck gold again, claiming the prized scalp of Travis Head. Head, one of Australia’s most dangerous batters, was caught at second slip after edging a delivery that showcased Siraj’s ability to extract movement and bounce. These twin blows left Australia reeling at 39/4 within 12 overs, marking a dominant start to the day for the Indian attack.
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Jasprit Bumrah, India’s stand-in captain, set the tone earlier in the day by removing Marnus Labuschagne for just 2 runs. Bumrah found the faintest edge of Labuschagne’s bat in his second over, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant completing the catch. The on-field umpire initially remained unmoved, but Bumrah’s confident review revealed a spike on UltraEdge, confirming the dismissal.
𝐃𝐒𝐏 𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐉 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐘! 🫡#MohammedSiraj makes two in the over, sending #SamKonstas and #TravisHead to the dugout! 🔥#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 5th Test, Day 2 | LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/720cYxlsnu
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 4, 2025
DSP Siraj is official father of Travis Head.
No Rohit Sharma no party for Travis Head#INDvsAUS #INDvsAUSTest #BGT2025 pic.twitter.com/MsXZSnU1WG— ℝℂ𝔹𝟙𝟠_🚩👑 (@Abhayti05059972) January 4, 2025
Bumrah’s dismissal of Labuschagne added another milestone to his already remarkable series. With 32 wickets to his name, he became the Indian bowler with the most wickets in a Test series in Australia, surpassing Bishan Singh Bedi’s record of 31 wickets from the 1977-78 series.
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The fiery fast bowler had already made an impact late on Day 1 when he dismissed Usman Khawaja after a heated exchange with Sam Konstas. The young Australian opener had attempted to delay proceedings to avoid facing another over, a tactic that clearly frustrated Bumrah. In a fitting response, Bumrah dismissed Khawaja with the final ball of the day, igniting passionate celebrations from the Indian side.
India’s bowling performance so far has been a masterclass in discipline and aggression, putting the team in a commanding position in this decisive Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
