Sydney Test: Pant, Jadeja put India in commanding position on Day 2

Sydney [Australia], Jan 4 (ANI): Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played heroic knocks on Day Two of the ongoing fourth Test against Australia as the visitors declared their first innings after posting a mammoth total of 622 runs for the loss of seven wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
In reply, Australia made 24 runs without losing a wicket at Stumps. The post-lunch session saw Australian bowlers toiling hard on the field as Pant and Jadeja stitched a massive 204-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Soon after the lunch, India lost their top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who was holding the crease for his side since Day One of the Test match. Pujara spent a total of 9 hours, 8 minutes on the field and faced 373 balls before getting out off a Nathon Lyon delivery. The batsman narrowly missed the double ton as he departed back at the score of 193 runs.
Following Pujara's dismissal, it was all about Pant and Jadeja on the field as they went on to pile up a huge score on the board for India. In the process, Pant became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test hundred in Australia. His centurion knock against Australia also made him the first Indian wicket-keeper to score two centuries at the age of 21 or before.
Moreover, Pant surpassed former Indian keeper Farokh Engineer's score of 89 runs at Adelaide in 1967-68 to become the highest run-getter for India against Australia as a wicket-keeper batsman.
Jadeja (81) also completed his half-century but narrowly missed the 100-run mark. He departed back after being deceived by a flighted delivery of spinner Nathon Lyon.
Pant remained unbeaten at the score of 159 as India declared soon after Jadeja's dismissal.
Australian openers Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja are holding the crease for Australia on respective scores of 19 and 5.
India are leading the ongoing Test series 2-1 and are eying to clinch the final Test in order to register a historic Test series win in Australia. (ANI)