Pat Cummins handed the ball to Scott Boland for the sixth over of India’s second innings. Thanks largely to a starburst of strokes from Yashasvi Jaiswal in Mitchell Starc’s opening over, the tourists were already leading by 37 runs. To this point, even allowing for an injury and trip to hospital for Jasprit Bumrah, it had been very much India’s day.
Scott Boland gets Virat Kohli again. Credit: Getty Images Still channelling the anger somehow generated by Sam Konstas not respecting his elders, they rattled through an Australian batting order that was grateful for the reinforcement provided by the sublimely composed Beau Webster. And with Starc sore and Cummins having bowled more overs than anyone else on either side, Jaiswal’s early attack threatened to put space between the teams in much the same way he had done in Perth.
Boland, though, has had a tendency to make an instant impact this series whenever Cummins calls on him. His first ball seamed violently across Jaiswal, immediately putting doubt in the young opener’s mind. In is second over a similar delivery was used to cut back through the right-handed K.
L. Rahul, after being full enough to tempt a drive. Australia, momentarily wondering where the game might be headed, now locked in behind Boland.
So sharp was the seam movement for Boland that he moved around the wicket to Jaiswal, and soon found a delivery that straightened from the line of middle and off to beat a defensive blade and take the top of off. A demo.
