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Australia’s lower order extended their lead to a commanding 333 after a dramatic collapse to 91 for 6 earlier in the day. On a gripping day of Test cricket, Jasprit Bumrah delivered another sensational performance, reigniting India’s hopes with a fiery spell. However, crucial contributions from Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins steadied the innings, followed […]
Australia’s lower order extended their lead to a commanding 333 after a dramatic collapse to 91 for 6 earlier in the day. On a gripping day of Test cricket, Jasprit Bumrah delivered another sensational performance, reigniting India’s hopes with a fiery spell. However, crucial contributions from Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins steadied the innings, followed by a vital last-wicket partnership between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland, which edged the game further away from India’s grasp.
India’s bowlers had kept them in contention for much of the day, but Lyon and Boland frustrated them with a gritty 55-run stand that remained unbroken by stumps on day four. The drama peaked in the final over when Lyon edged Bumrah to third slip, where KL Rahul held the ball between his legs. However, Bumrah had heartbreakingly overstepped, allowing Lyon to capitalize and smash 14 runs off the over, closing the day with his joint second-highest Test score and leaving India facing an uphill battle.
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India’s chase in the fourth innings, regardless of the target, will inevitably evoke memories of their historic triumph at the Gabba in 2021. Yet, they face an uphill task at the MCG, where no team has ever successfully chased a target higher than England’s 332 for 7 in 1928. Adding to the occasion, the Boxing Day Test has witnessed a record-breaking attendance of 299,329 over the first four days.
Earlier in the match, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s maiden century narrowed Australia’s first-innings lead to 105. India’s new-ball attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah with stellar support from Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, kept Australia’s top order in check, limiting their scoring rate to just over two-and-a-half runs per over. However, at 80 for 2, Australia seemed poised for control with a lead of 185, only for Bumrah to spark a stunning collapse of 4 for 11 in three overs, including his 200th Test wicket. A turning point came when Labuschagne, on 46, was dropped in the gully by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who endured a torrid day in the field with further errors involving Usman Khawaja and Pat Cummins. These missed opportunities proved costly as Australia edged closer to an unassailable position.
Labuschagne and Cummins extended their vital partnership to 57, with each run feeling invaluable before Labuschagne was trapped lbw by Siraj, who had his best day of the series since Perth. Australia’s hopes of adding freely to their lead in the morning were quickly dispelled as India’s bowlers made the most of the new ball on a pitch offering significant seam movement. Bumrah set the tone, producing a beauty to breach Sam Konstas’ defenses and celebrating with a gesture mimicking Konstas’ interactions with the crowd, firing up his team and the fans.
Bumrah’s prodigious swing and seam movement often made him unplayable, while Siraj and Akash Deep maintained relentless pressure. Siraj’s fuller lengths bore fruit when he seamed one through Khawaja, and at one stage, Australia’s batters were beaten 21 times in just 18 overs. After lunch, Labuschagne and Smith attempted to accelerate but were thwarted. Siraj struck first, tempting Smith into chasing a wide delivery, opening the door for Rohit Sharma to reintroduce Bumrah.
Bumrah’s return was electrifying. With his second ball, he had Head flicking to forward square leg, and four balls later, he ended Mitchell Marsh’s innings with a climbing delivery that brushed the glove. Marsh’s lean series, with just 73 runs in seven innings (47 of which came in one knock), will undoubtedly be a topic of debate ahead of the Sydney Test. As India continued their fightback, the game hung delicately in the balance, setting up a thrilling final phase.
When Bumrah seamed one back sharply to dismiss Alex Carey, the match seemed on the brink of a dramatic turnaround, barely a day after India appeared set to concede a lead of over 200. However, Labuschagne’s reprieve gave Australia a lifeline, allowing them to regroup. Scoring remained difficult, but Labuschagne crafted one of the most crucial innings of his career, often smiling wryly as deliveries whistled past his edge. Small moments, like an over from Akash Deep that went for nine runs with boundaries from Labuschagne and Cummins, provided Australia with much-needed momentum.
Labuschagne and Cummins weathered Bumrah’s fiery spell after tea, a critical phase for Australia. However, Siraj returned to strike with a superb lbw dismissal of Labuschagne, upheld on umpire’s call, breaking the crucial stand. Mitchell Starc’s dismissal followed soon after due to a mix-up with Cummins, with Rishabh Pant showcasing brilliant athleticism by removing his glove to collect Reddy’s throw and hitting the stumps directly. Cummins, who had scored his highest Test runs, was the next to fall, edging Jadeja to slip.
The contributions of Australia’s lower order have tilted the game in their favor, but uncertainty still looms. With a strong target set, the match remains delicately poised, promising a thrilling conclusion as India faces the daunting challenge of making history at the MCG.
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