In a match destined to be remembered as one of the modern era’s greatest, Australia triumphed over India by 184 runs at the MCG, taking a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
With record-breaking crowds, dramatic twists, and standout performances, the Boxing Day Test delivered everything fans could hope for.
Australian debutant Sam Konstas made an instant impact, while Steve Smith notched his second consecutive century, reinforcing Australia’s dominance. On the other hand, India’s Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli faced mounting scrutiny for their lacklustre performances, overshadowing another Jasprit Bumrah masterclass.
The match saw its fair share of controversy, particularly with two pivotal decisions involving India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal. Pat Cummins’ bouncer to dismiss Jaiswal sparked heated debates, but the DRS review ultimately favoured Australia. Earlier, an lbw decision against Jaiswal went India’s way despite ball-tracking evidence suggesting otherwise, leaving Australia momentarily frustrated.
Cummins’ all-round contributions, including 90 runs across both innings and crucial wickets, played a monumental role in Australia’s success. His first-innings knock ensured Australia posted a formidable 474, and his incisive bowling dismantled India’s top order in the second innings.
India’s hopes of salvaging the Test rested on the shoulders of Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal. However, Pant’s ill-timed aggression against part-time spinner Travis Head triggered a collapse, with India losing 7-34 in the final session.
Despite nursing a back injury, Mitchell Starc’s fiery spells kept India under pressure. Scott Boland, too, delivered key breakthroughs, supported by Nathan Lyon’s spin at critical junctures.
The Test drew an unprecedented aggregate crowd of 373,691, surpassing an 88-year-old record. Melbourne turned out in droves, affirming its status as a cricketing hub.
As India heads into the Sydney finale, former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh and ex-Indian coach Ravi Shastri emphasised the challenges facing the visitors. Waugh hinted at tough selection decisions for India, while Shastri criticised the lack of footwork from senior players, including skipper Sharma.
With the final Test at the SCG starting on January 3, Australia is poised to reclaim the Trophy India has held since 2017. Meanwhile, India must win to retain it. As the series builds to a crescendo, fans can expect another chapter of riveting cricket.
The fifth Test begins Friday at 10:30 am AEDT, with both teams eyeing glory.
TEST RECAP:
- First Test: India won by 295 runs
- Second Test: Australia won by 10 wickets
- Third Test: Match drawn
- Fourth Test: Australia won by 184 runs
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon
