Yashaswi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant Put Up Solid Resistance to Dent Australia's Chances

Yashasvi Jaiswal's aggressive batting and Rishabh Pant's responsible batting allowed India a chance to draw the game at MCG against Australia. The two batsmen batted through the entire second session on the fifth day reaching Tea at 112/3, still with the daunting task of chasing the remaining 228 runs ahead but only 38 overs ahead to survive. It brought a glimmer of hope for the visitors who, after a shaky start by the top order, were in a spot of trouble.

Jaiswal's Resilience and Fortitude

Jaiswal achieved his 14th Test fifty and second in this match with impressive serenity. His fifty was made from 127 balls and this was the slowest Test fifty for him and indeed reflected his desire to build a defensive innings and strangle the Australian bowling. Before this, he also stood his ground against a blazing Mitchell Starc over the new ball. Though troubled by Starc's outswingers, Jaiswal showed the patience and persistence to remain unbeaten until Lunch.

Post Lunch, Jaiswal seemed composed again and made use of a track which provided little help to the bowlers on the last day. Jaiswal played his shots when opportunity presented himself, but an exchange of words with Starc for sometime did disturb his concentration. It was Rishabh Pant who composed him in the end and hence the left-hander went about his innings without much of a disturbance at the crease.

Rishabh Pant's Mature Approach

Pant is known for his attacking batting, but in this innings, he played pretty defensively. He showed very good adaptation to match situations while adopting a cautious strategy, especially against Nathan Lyon. Pant has earlier been dominant against Lyon, and he did not take a lot of risks this time. His defensive cricket was evident as he put together a gritty 28 off 93 balls for India in its effort to save the Test.

Pant showed much-needed restraint too when Australian skipper Pat Cummins brought on part-timers Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. This disciplined batting was the very opposite of his first-innings dismissal, where an adventurous shuffle-and-lap shot saw him off and invited plenty of criticism. By standing firm alongside Jaiswal, Pant ensured India did not lose any wickets in the session.

Australia's Dominant Start

The day began with Australia dominating proceedings. Pat Cummins blew a big blow to India in one over before Lunch dismissing both Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Rohit had gotten off to a watchful start, edging a ball to slips, while Rahul got the one he could not leave alone. Virat Kohli also started off on a promising note, leaving balls outside off-stump with confidence. He could also go to an edge off Cummins in the last over before Lunch, which brought India to reeling at 74/3.

The bowlers were relentless for Australia. The new ball from Cummins and Starc had a disciplined lines and lengths that exposed all the vulnerabilities of India's top order, leaving them under immense pressure. By the end of the day, however, the pitch did flatten out, making it a bit easier for the batters.

Resistance in the Second Session

Australia would have wanted to do more damage in the second session, but Jaiswal and Pant did not budge an inch. The two were building on a solid platform of cautious selection of shots and an adamant mindset to spend time in the crease. Jaiswal was unruffled even when he was scoring slowly, while Pant's defense kept the threatening spells by the Australian bowlers at bay.

The resistance by the duo not only stalled Australia's momentum but also provided a blueprint for surviving on a deteriorating fifth-day pitch. Their ability to blunt the opposition's attack reflected India's determination to fight until the very end.

India's Battle for Survival

By Tea, India had reduced the deficit to 228 runs but had to survive 38 more overs. With wickets in hand and a partnership brewing, the visitors remained hopeful of salvaging a draw. The challenge, however, lay in maintaining their concentration and not succumbing to Australia's persistent pressure.

Australia's first innings of 474, which was steered by Marnus Labuschagne's 70, gave them a very tight grip on the game. Jasprit Bumrah's five-wicket haul, which read 5-56, and Mohammed Siraj's three scalps at 3-70 limited the host's batting effort, but the follow-up effort from India's batters in their first innings was woefully subpar. Reaching 369, India conceded a huge lead, with Cummins and Starc proving to be too much for the visiting batters.

The second innings of India exposed their vulnerabilities in their top order, but this stand between Jaiswal and Pant showed what character the side had as a result of infusing life into the fight in the end.

Conclusion

A stand like this between Jaiswal and Pant really did showcase the fight that was shown by the Indian side on the final day at MCG. While the outcome was still in the balance, the partnership gave the team a chance at an improbable draw. For Australia, it was one of the rarest periods without a wicket during an otherwise dominant performance. And as the match headed to its final chapter, all eyes were on whether India could defy the odds and script a memorable escape.