Australia win Test thriller to lead series after late India collapse
Australia ripped out seven Indian wickets in the final session of a dramatic fourth Test in Melbourne on Monday to win a thriller by 184 runs and go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
India crumbled to 155 all out with just 12.5 overs left in the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and will need to win the final Test starting in Sydney on Friday to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Set an unlikely 340 to win, India looked well placed to salvage a draw when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant batted through the second session in unflustered fashion to take their side to 112-3 at tea.
But Pant perished trying to slog part-time spinner Travis Head for six to spark a collapse as India’s last seven wickets fell for 34 runs from 20.3 overs.
Top-scorer Jaiswal was out for 84 to Australia captain and man-of-the match Pat Cummins, who took 3-28, and Nathan Lyon ended the contest when he trapped Mohammed Siraj lbw to spark wild scenes of jubilation among the home team.
Pace bowler Mitchell Starc said the home side never lost faith they could force victory in the last session.
“There were a few patches through the day with the wicket not doing a whole lot, but we managed to find a way,” Starc said.
“I think that’s just a feature of the group at the moment, is that calmness, to have that belief that we can get the job done.”
The departure of Pant for 30, caught on the boundary from a wild shot, ended an 88-run partnership and rejuvenated the Australia bowlers.
Ravindra Jadeja and first-innings centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy came and went quickly before Cummins ended Jaiswal’s gritty 208-ball knock in controversial fashion.
The 23-year-old was given not out to a caught-behind appeal from an attempted hook.
But the decision was overturned by the TV umpire on visual evidence that the ball had changed direction, even though no noise was picked up by technology.
Akash Deep was caught at short leg off Scott Boland, who took 3-39, before Jasprit Bumrah scored his second duck of the match.
A tenacious Washington Sundar was left not out five after facing 45 balls. Cummins completed an inspirational Test, taking six wickets in total and scoring 90 runs, the best batting match tally of his career.
‘Two bloody good teams’
He terrorised India’s top order, removing opposing captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul before Starc dismissed Kohli from the last ball before lunch.
Rohit, who has not scored more than 10 in the three Tests he has played in the series, said the early demise of the three veteran Indian batsmen removed any prospect of chasing their target.
“We wanted to set the platform where the last two sessions, if we had wickets in hand, we can go for those runs. But they bowled perfectly as well,” Rohit said.
“Then we wanted to fight till the end but unfortunately couldn’t do it. It is pretty disappointing.
“If you look at the overall Test match, we had our opportunities, we had our chances.”
Rohit said Australia’s final-wicket stand of 61 between Lyon and Boland in the second innings was a major dent in their push for victory.
It came after exceptional Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who took 5-57 in the second innings and nine wickets in the match, had reduced the hosts to 91-6 midway through day four — a lead of less than 200.
The final Australia second-innings wicket was finally taken early on Monday when Lyon was bowled for 41 by Bumrah, leaving Boland 15 not out.
The match set the record attendance for any game of cricket in Australia, with 373,591 going through the gates over five days.
Head said the players had found the crowds and atmosphere inspiring.
“I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed something like that so, yeah, what a week to be involved in,” he said.
“It’s two bloody good teams going at it, and I felt like it ebbed and flowed throughout and it’s probably one of the best Test matches that I’ve been involved in.
“It’s just nice to come out with a win. It’s been a long five days.”