"There is enough bounce for us to be in the game" - Indian pacer assesses game situation after Day 2 of 5th BGT 2024-25 Test  

Team India pacer Prasidh Krishna reckons that there is enough in the surface in Sydney to keep the visitors in the game in the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test against Australia. He explained that batting is not easy on the grassy pitch especially when bowlers hit some particular areas.

As many as 15 wickets fell on Day 2 of the Sydney Test on Saturday, January 4. Responding to India's first-innings total of 185, Australia were bowled out for 181. The hosts then hit back to reduce Team India to 141-6 by stumps. India head into Day 3 with a lead of 145 runs and only four wickets in hand.

Speaking at a press conference after the end of Day 2, Prasidh, who starred with 3-42 from 15 overs, asserted that India are still in the game despite losing six wickets in their second innings. He said (as quoted by PTI):

"It is getting difficult in some areas. The ball is keeping low sometimes but there is enough bounce for us to be in the game and look for those edges. Try and beat them on either side of the bat.

"There is no particular number in mind but then as many runs as we score would be great. We are ready to bowl them out for whatever," the pacer added.

Apart from Prasidh, Mohammed Siraj also claimed three wickets, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jasprit Bumrah finished with two scalps each. Bumrah, however, bowled only 10 overs in Australia's first innings due to back spasms.

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"I did get a bit of confidence bowling in Australia" - Prasidh Krishna

While the Karnataka pacer did not play the first four Tests, he did feature in the two unofficial Tests between India A and Australia A and was among the wickets in both the games. The 28-year-old admitted that the experience came in handy.

"I did get a bit of confidence bowling in Australia and having played some red ball cricket previously in the Duleep Trophy I was in good rhythm," the pacer said.

"When I got the ball in hand, obviously there was a bit of nerves when I started off, the first over went well, the next few didn't go really well. But then I have enough people in the team who I can actually go to sit down and discuss what went wrong, what could have been better," he added.

Meanwhile, India will resume Day 3 of the Sydney Test at 141-6, with Ravindra Jadeja batting on eight and Washington Sundar on six. Earlier, Rishabh Pant hammered 61 off 33 to lift them from 78-4.