Fri Jan 03 01:20:00 UTC 2025: ## India Stumbles on Day 1 of Sydney Test Against Australia
**Sydney, Australia:** India’s hopes for a series win suffered a setback on day one of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney. After winning the toss and electing to bat first in overcast conditions, India ended the day struggling at 82/4 in 42 overs.
The Australian bowlers, spearheaded by Scott Boland, dominated the first session, claiming three early wickets. Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill all fell cheaply, with Boland himself taking two of those scalps, showcasing impressive accuracy and pace. Boland nearly claimed a fourth wicket, but Steve Smith dropped a catch offered by Ravindra Jadeja.
While Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill attempted to steady the innings, neither could produce a significant score, and Kohli was ultimately dismissed for 17 runs, once again caught in the slips. Rishabh Pant, while showing some promise with a boundary, remained relatively contained at the close of play.
The Indian captain, Jasprit Bumrah, attributed Rohit Sharma’s absence from the match to a conscious leadership decision to rest the regular captain. This fifth test also saw two changes in the Indian team, with Shubman Gill replacing Rohit Sharma and Prasidh Krishna replacing Akash Deep.
India’s slow batting performance on a challenging Sydney pitch left them significantly behind at the end of day one, setting the stage for a crucial battle on day two.
First Piper 