Sat Jan 04 01:00:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Batting Collapse Continues Despite Captaincy Change in Sydney Test
**Sydney, Australia –** India’s batting woes continued to plague the team on the opening day of the fifth Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite a captaincy change – Rohit Sharma was replaced by Jasprit Bumrah – and a venue shift, the Indian team crumbled to a paltry 185 all out in 72.2 overs, highlighting their persistent struggles against the Australian pace attack.
The Indian top order failed to cope with the unexpected bounce and seam movement from the Sydney pitch. Openers Shubman Gill (20) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) and KL Rahul (4) fell early, while Virat Kohli, despite a change in his stance, managed only 17 runs before being caught. Rishabh Pant, however, showed fighting spirit, scoring a gritty 40 before falling to a rash shot. Ravindra Jadeja provided some support with 26 runs. Bumrah played a late cameo, smashing 22 runs including three fours and a six. Scott Boland took four wickets for Australia, while Mitchell Starc claimed three and Pat Cummins two.
Australia, in reply, reached 9/1 at the close of play, losing Usman Khawaja early for 2 runs.
Bumrah’s decision to bat first after winning the toss proved detrimental, as the overcast conditions and lively pitch played perfectly into the hands of the Australian pacers. Commentators noted the unusual bounce of the ball, particularly troubling for Pant who was struck multiple times on the body.
The large crowd of 47,556 spectators, a record attendance since 1976, witnessed India’s disappointing batting performance. The focus now shifts to day two, with hopes that Bumrah can inspire a better performance from the Indian bowlers and stem the flow of Australian runs. India’s performance raises serious concerns about their batting capabilities heading into the remaining matches of the series.
First Piper 