IND-AUS : A Historic Australian Victory at MCG
A massive attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a famous victory for Australia as Pat Cummins’s side triggered an Indian collapse in the final session. India lost 7 wickets for just 34 runs, allowing Australia to go 2-1 up in the series of IND-AUS . This thrilling encounter has left a lasting impression on the cricket world.
Brief Scores:
Australia 474 (Steve Smith 140, Marnus Labuschagne 72; Jasprit Bumrah 4-99) & 234 (Marnus Labuschagne 70; Jasprit Bumrah 5-56, Mohammed Siraj 3-70) beat India 369 (Nitish Reddy 114, Yashasvi Jaiswal 82, Washington Sundar 50; Scott Boland 3-57, Pat Cummins 3-89, Nathan Lyon 3-96) & 155 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 84; Pat Cummins 3-28, Scott Boland 3-39, Nathan Lyon 2-37) by 184 runs.
Rishabh Pant’s Rash Dismissal Turns the Tide
The turning point in the IND-AUS contest came when Rishabh Pant gave in to temptation after Tea. He hit a half-tracker from part-timer Travis Head to Mitchell Marsh at long-on, a rash shot that handed Australia the breakthrough. Pant’s dismissal derailed India’s hopes of a potential draw, and Australia seized the momentum, taking two more quick wickets in the next 27 deliveries.
Australia’s Quick Strikes to Regain the Upper Hand
Scott Boland then extracted extra bounce from a length, dismissing Ravindra Jadeja, who edged behind to the keeper. Nathan Lyon further buoyed Australia’s hopes for a series lead by sending Nitish Reddy, the first-innings centurion, back to the pavilion for just 1 run. India quickly went from 121/3 to 130/6, providing a lift to the Australian camp as they grew more confident.
A Final Push for Victory: Pressure Builds on India
Washington Sundar came to the crease with five close-in fielders surrounding the bat, clearly feeling the pressure. Sam Konstas, in particular, was in full chat at silly point, trying to get under the skin of both Sundar and Jaiswal. With Boland’s short burst over, Pat Cummins reintroduced himself into the attack. The captain made a significant impact by dismissing Jaiswal. The India opener attempted a pull shot but failed to connect, and despite a review showing no significant spike on the Snicko, the third umpire overturned the decision, leaving India seven down.
India Collapses Under Pressure, With Australia Closing In
India’s lower order crumbled under mounting pressure as Akash Deep lasted just 16 balls before nicking a Boland delivery to Mitchell Marsh at forward short leg. The final day’s play mirrored the opening moments of the match, as India’s top order faltered against the new ball. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli all failed to negotiate Cummins’s deliveries. Rohit edged one to the gully, Rahul was undone by a superb delivery, and Kohli fell to his familiar habit of chasing balls outside the off-stump, sending a catch to the keeper just before Lunch.
IND-AUS: Australia Clinches Victory with Clinical Bowling
The Jaiswal-Pant defiance in the middle session had given India some hope, but as the game progressed, Australia placed all nine fielders around the bat in search of the final two wickets. Boland dismissed Jasprit Bumrah, who nicked one to Smith at first slip, and Lyon wrapped up the victory by trapping Mohammed Siraj leg before. Australia’s clinical bowling performance sealed a stunning 184-run victory, taking them to a 2-1 lead in the IND-AUS series.