Chasing a modest 126, Australia crossed the finish line with 40 balls to spare, thanks to a strong start from Travis Head (28) and Marsh, whose fluent strokeplay set the tone early.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav joined Gill and immediately set the tone, launching a trademark flick over deep backward square leg, his 150th six in T20 internationals, to get off the mark in style.
India had earlier posted 264/9 after being inserted to bat in testing morning conditions, with Rohit Sharma making 73, Shreyas Iyer hitting 61 and Axar Patel chipping in with 44.
India started strongly, controlling possession and dictating the tempo in the opening quarter. Australia had an early chance, but goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh pulled off a fine save to keep the scores level.
“If you see Kranti Gaud bowling and today Sree Charani against Australia, against top quality players, she ended up giving what, 40 odd runs in her 10 overs and picked up those important wickets. I think they have been exceptional, both of them,” he said.
Australia would be hoping for Jasprit Bumrah to remain in the sidelines for the rest of the fifth and final Test after India’s pace spearhead and stand-in skipper was forced out of the ground with back spasms on day two of the Sydney Test.
Acknowledging the inconsistency of the surface at the Sydney Cricket Ground, India pacer Prasidh Krishna said there is no particular target in mind after his team ended up with an overall lead of 145 with four wickets in their bag after the second day’s play in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Saturday.
At stumps, India reached 141 for 6, for an overall lead of 145, with Ravindra Jadeja (who was dropped by Steve Smith at slip off Beau Webster in the day’s penultimate over) and Washington Sundar unbeaten on eight and six respectively.
On a pitch that became increasingly spicy as the day played out, Australia openers were asked to survive a torrid three-over spell from India’s chief tormentor Bumrah, and the 31-year-old led from the front with the key wicket of Usman Khawaja to wrap up the day’s proceedings.
Amid rumours of Rohit Sharma mulling at Test retirement after the completion of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday refused to clear the uncertainty over the out-of-form skipper’s participation for the fifth and final Test, starting Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
