Prasidh, Reddy restrict Australia to 181, India take 4-run lead
Sydney (PTI): Young pacers Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Reddy more than made up for skipper Jasprit Bumrah’s absence as India bowled out Australia for 181 at tea to take a slender four-run lead on the second day of the fifth Test here on Saturday.
While the lead is minimal, it will certainly give a psychological advantage to India after Siraj (3/51 in 16 overs), Prasidh (3/42 in 15 overs) and Reddy (2/32 in 7 overs) did their bit in the post-lunch session after skipper Bumrah left the venue to undergo precautionary scans.
The captain could bowl only one over before leaving the field handing over the reins to Virat Kohli, who took over from exactly where he had left in January 2022, proactive with bowling changes and animated as ever.
If the turning point was Steve Smith’s (33) dismissal just before lunch, Prasidh came from round the wicket from the Paddington End and removed Alex Carey (21) with an angled-in delivery. Carey was looking good but once Prasidh found his length, he was literally unplayable.
Debutant Beau Webster (57) justified his selection with a half-century but it was Reddy, coming for his second spell, who suddenly sparked a collapse with wickets of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, both done in by subtle movement off the surface.
The final blow was dealt by Prasidh. He used the uneven bounce and cracks off the surface to get one bounce awkwardly at Webster and Jaiswal snaffled the catch.
Earlier, Siraj was menacing during his first spell, grabbing two wickets with perfectly pitched outswingers before Prasidh sent back in-form Smith after he was involved in a nice little 57-run stand for the fifth wicket with Webster.
Prasidh was initially proving to be a weak link, bowling multiple release deliveries in his first spell as he couldn’t find the correct length but Bumrah changed his ends and it proved to be a masterstroke.
He bowled the perfect length to square up Smith and KL Rahul took the leading edge in the second slip.
The day started with Sam Konstas (23 off 38 balls) giving charge to Bumrah (2/27 in 9 overs) with his reverse lap but Marnus Labuschagne (2) was dismissed quickly.
Bumrah got one to rear up from a good length and there was just enough away movement to kiss the right-hand batter’s outside edge before resting in Rishabh Pant’s gloves.
Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoul Ibne Saikat had ruled it not out but TV replays showed a clear spike.
Konstas has the unconventional edge to his game, but his defence isn’t the most compact one.
Finally, Siraj got his perfectly pitched outswingers landing on that five metre length and Konstas’ drive resulted in an edge towards gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal pouched it without much ado.
Travis Head (4) started with a beautiful on-drive but then got one that jagged in (inswinger for left-hander) and as the bat face closed, the leading edge travelled at a good height for Rahul in the slips.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
