Australia hammer India by 184 runs in Boxing Day Test to take 2-1 lead in the series with one game remaining in Sydney

Pat Cummins-led Australia hammered India by 184 runs in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday. The Day Five of the fourth Test match went down to the wire after opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant played out a wicket-less second session but the home side turned the tide in the final session after the wicketkeeper’s dismissal.

India had their chances in the Test match after they had reduced the Australians to 91 for 6 on Day 4 after Jasprit Bumrah’s burst but the home side’s lower-order powered them to a 234 in the second innings and set a 340-run target for the Indians. Rohit Sharma’s side were never in the hunt once their skipper departed for just 9 off 40 balls and KL Rahul was out for duck in the same over bowled by Pat Cummins.

LYON DOES IT!

What a remarkable win for Australia! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024

Virat Kohli once again edged an outgoing delivery off Mitchell Starc to fall for 5 and India were reduced to 33 for 3 at lunch on Day 5. But Jaiswal and Pant put on 88 runs for the 4th wicket to keep Australians at bay in the second session.

Pant departed to a horror shot after Tea, skiing a catch to Mitchell Marsh off Travis Head. Jaiswal was caught behind off his glove in a rather controversial fashion off Pat Cummins for 84 off 208 balls.

Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy departed for 2 and 1` respectively and at 130 for 6 in the final session, it was almost game over for India.

In the 71st over, skipper Pat Cummins got rid of Yashasvi Jaiswal in a controversial manner. Jaiswal tried to go for a pull shot against Cummins’ short ball delivery but missed it. Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey didn’t make a mistake to catch. The on field umpire’s original decision was not out, however, the Australian skipper didn’t waste time to take the DRS.

In the replay, third umpire Sharfuddoula checked the Snickometer where there was no spike but the visuals showed the ball hit Jaiswal’s bottom glove and then went to the keeper. The third umpire went with the visual evidence and overturned the original decision. Yashasvi walked back to the pavillion after scoring 84 runs from 208 balls, with India’s hope of drawing the match deemed away. The decision drew huge jeers from the Indian fans in the crowd with some of them chanting, ‘Cheater-Cheater’.

Akash Deep and Washington Sundar on the crease kept rotating the strike and slowly added runs. However, the Aussie set an attacking field aiming to clinch a win. In the 77th over, Scott Boland struck again as he dismissed Akash Deep for seven runs. India were 150 for 8 after the end of the 77th over.