The opening day of the fifth and final Test in Sydney ended dramatically as India’s stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja on the last ball of the day. Following the wicket, Bumrah directed a fiery stare at Australia’s young opener, Sam Konstas.
Trailing the series 1-2, India entered the Sydney Test determined to prove a point. With Rohit Sharma sitting out, Bumrah took charge of the side.
The day started poorly for India as they were bowled out for 185, largely due to Scott Boland’s exceptional spell, claiming four wickets. Rishabh Pant’s fighting 40 was the only notable contribution with the bat.
Under the lights, Australia began their innings, and India desperately needed a breakthrough to finish the day strongly.
Drama unfolded in the final over when Khawaja disrupted Bumrah’s run-up, causing visible irritation. Shortly after, 19-year-old Konstas escalated the situation by engaging in a heated exchange with Bumrah, forcing the on-field umpire to step in and calm tempers.
On the very next delivery, Bumrah produced a fuller-length ball that found Khawaja’s outside edge, with KL Rahul taking a sharp catch at second slip.
While the Indian team erupted in celebration, Bumrah’s piercing stare at Konstas stole the spotlight.
With this wicket, Bumrah’s tally in the series climbed to 31 in nine innings. Ending the day on a high, India will look to carry this momentum into Day 2 as they push to level the series.