India drop Rohit, lose top three on first morning of fifth Australia Test
Cricket
Rahul and Jaiswal both departed cheaply early on and Gill, Rohit's replacement, was caught for 20
SYDNEY (Reuters) – India dropped skipper Rohit Sharma but their top order batting woes continued as they struggled to 57 for three in the opening session of the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal both departed cheaply early on and Shubman Gill, Rohit's batting replacement, was caught in the slips for 20 off Nathan Lyon to bring up lunch.
Virat Kohli survived a big scare on the first delivery he faced in a moment of high drama but made it safely to the break on 12 not out.
Jasprit Bumrah, standing in for Rohit as skipper, won the toss and decided to bat despite the leaden skies and a wicket with a distinct tinge of green.
The tourists, needing a win in the series finale to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, had only 11 runs on the board when Rahul chipped a slower Mitchell Starc delivery to teenager Sam Konstas at square leg for four.
The Indian batters eked out another six runs before Jaiswal (10) joined his opening partner in the dressing room with an edge to the slips from a Scott Boland delivery that nipped back to the off side.
Boland thought he had Kohli out for a golden duck off the next delivery but the roars of the sellout crowd turned to jeers when the third umpire ruled the ball had kissed the grass before slip fielder Steve Smith flicked it up for Marnus Labuschagne to catch.
Australia lead the series 2-1 after rebounding from a thrashing in the Perth opener to win the tests in Adelaide and Melbourne, which sandwiched a draw in Brisbane.
Bumrah attempted to douse rumours of rifts in the India camp when he said Rohit's absence from the team was the out-of-form 37-year-old's own choice.
"Our captain has shown leadership by opting to rest in this game," he said at the toss.
"That shows there's a lot of unity in this team. There's no selfishness. Whatever is in the team's best interest, we are looking to do that."
