IND vs AUS 5th Test: 'Battered And Bruised' Rishabh Pant Survives Blows Before Succumbing to Scott Boland

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Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant endured a tough day at the office, copping blows twelve times from the Australian pacers before finally falling to Scott Boland during the opening day of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney.

Walking in to bat after the lunch break, Pant took a painful blow from a Mitchell Starc short delivery in the 35th over of India's innings when he tried to fend off a sharp bouncer and was struck on the arm.

The impact left a noticeable bruise, quickly turning the area black. Pant immediately called for medical attention, and the team physio treated the injury with an ice pack. He was later struck on the helmet with a short delivery from Starc hitting flush on the grill, leaving Pant with little time to react.

The 27-year-old suffered further blows, but remained unbeaten until the tea break, batting alongside Ravindra Jadeja with the pair adding 48 before Pant fell to another short-pitch delivery by Boland in the 57th over, which also brought about the dismissal of Nitish Kumar Reddy for a golden duck.

Pant tried to pull Boland, but skewed the shot off the thick inside half of bat as the ball was pouched by Australian skipper Pat Cummins at mid-wicket. The very next ball, Nitish, a centurion at MCG, steered one to second slip, leaving Boland with four wickets.

Pant had resisted playing a rash shot until that very moment, copping blows on his arms and helmet, but could not resist another short delivery and fell to Boland. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter has been criticized for the manner of his dismissal in the MCG Test, where many felt he threw away his wicket.

Even at SCG, Pant did all the hard work of evading the temptation to beat himself out of the barrage of short-pitched deliveries, but his grind lasted just one session like in Melbourne, leaving India at 125/6 in the final session of day 1 of the fifth Test at SCG.

Earlier in the day, India won the toss and decided to bat against Australia in Sydney, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened for the tourists. However, the Indian openers failed to cement a solid partnership.

In the fifth over, Starc drew first blood as he removed KL Rahul, while Yashasvi Jaiswal succumbed to Scott Boland a few overs later. Seconds before the first session ended, Nathan Lyon picked up a crucial wicket as he dismissed Shubman Gill for 20 runs.

Post lunch, Virat Kohli once again fell to a delivery outside the off-stump, handing Boland his second wicket after being caught at third slip by debutant Beau Webster. Boland later removed Pant and Nitish.