India vs Australia 5th Test Day 1 LIVE Score: Shubman Gill fell off the last ball of the first session

Earlier, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s reunion at the top of the order didn’t last too long as the former was dismissed in the fifth over against Mitchell Starc, who was rather gently sent off, on the first day of the fifth Test at the SCG. Jaiswal was soon sent to the basket by Scott Boland in the first over of the game and sent back, after which he almost dismissed Virat Kohli on the very next ball. Shubman Gill, who was ruled out for the fourth Test, has returned to the squad and moved into the middle after Rahul’s dismissal and is now facing the heat along with Kohli.

The ailing Rohit Sharma sits out this Test and Jasprit Bumrah leads India again. He won the toss and elected to bat first before the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which began in Sydney on Friday, was preceded by significant controversy around the Indian camp, with speculation mounting that the out-of-form Rohit Sharma will be dropped due to his poor performances . As the Indian team faces a number of challenges both on and off the field, all eyes will be on head coach Gautam Gambhir’s handling of the situation, especially after he questioned whether Rohit would feature in the playing XI. left unanswered in the preliminary round on Thursday. Press conference for the game.

Rohit, who has scored just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.2 in this series, has come under intense scrutiny. His dismal form can be attributed to questionable captaincy decisions as India trails 2-1 in the series. “We will review the playing XI after looking at the field,” Gambhir had said when asked about Rohit’s inclusion in the XI for the Sydney Test. If Rohit doesn’t play at the SCG, he would be the first Indian captain to retire due to poor form.

Reports suggest that due to Rohit’s lack of runs, it is likely that India could resort to Shubman Gill, who could potentially return to the team at No. 3 in place of the Indian captain. However, the team’s performance issues are not just limited to Rohit. Another major issue was Rishabh Pant’s shot selection, which reportedly drew harsh criticism from Gambhir.

Pant’s questionable form in the series, coupled with his inability to capitalize on crucial moments, has seen him become a target of Gambhir’s wrath. Gambhir reportedly had a “frank discussion” with the players after India’s heavy defeat in Melbourne.

Amid all the turmoil, one thing is clear: the Indian team is in transition. Under head coach Gambhir’s leadership, the focus has shifted significantly to performance and older players are no longer guaranteed a place. His no-nonsense approach has certainly caused some tension in the dressing room, particularly with key figures like Rohit Sharma; a Indian Express A report had also revealed earlier this week that another unnamed senior player of the team was ready to take over from Rohit as ‘interim captain’ following the team’s poor performances.

While some, like Bumrah, have shown resilience and class, others, including Pant and even Virat Kohli, have failed to rise to the challenge at critical moments. The situation is further complicated by reports of disharmony within the squad, with tensions potentially affecting players’ morale and performance ahead of this crucial game.

With the World Test Championship (WTC) final within reach, the pressure has increased on India. A loss to Australia in this final Test will not only mean India lose the Border-Gavaskar Trophy; This will also all but destroy their chances of qualifying for the WTC final at Lord’s. India currently needs a win and will hope that Sri Lanka wins both Tests against Australia to retain their chance of finishing in the top two of the WTC table. While Australia has a firm grip on the series, India has everything to do.

While India faces internal strife, Australia is emerging as a much stronger force, especially after Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne returned to form. The Australian team will also give the debut to all-rounder Beau Webster, replacing Mitchell Marsh after the latter’s poor performance with the bat.

Additionally, Mitchell Starc has been given the no-play status after recovering from a back injury, adding even more firepower to Australia’s bowling attack. The Sydney pitch is expected to favor the seamers and Australia’s fast bowling unit is keen to take advantage of every opportunity.

Despite the Australian team’s dominance, India will take credit from the fact that Jasprit Bumrah, their own pace leader, has been in outstanding form. With 30 wickets in the series at an average of under 20, Bumrah was India’s standout performer and could be a key figure in India’s quest for a series-matching win. Bumrah could also lead the team as captain if Rohit Sharma is dropped and his leadership in Perth, where India registered their only win in the series so far, could give India the upper hand.

As the final Test approaches, India is at a crossroads. The team’s transition under the watchful eye of head coach Gautam Gambhir is fraught with uncertainty. Rohit Sharma’s possible exit from the team, coupled with the mounting pressure on other senior players in the team, has certainly caused some drama in the dressing room. India has everything to lose in Sydney and how it responds to these challenges will shape its future in Test cricket in the coming months.

Here are some notes on the first day of the fifth Test India vs Australia:

– India 57/3 in 25 overs after lunch

– Shubman Gill fell behind on the last delivery of the first session with 20 off 64 balls

– KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal both fell within the first 10 overs

– KL Rahul is back at the top and opened the Indian innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal

– Jasprit Bumrah captains India again while Rohit Sharma is out

– India won the toss and elected to bat first

– Shubman Gill returns at No.3 while Prasidh Krishna replaces the injured Akash Deep