The Australian cricket team must be dancing with joy after winning the IND vs AUS 4th Test in Melbourne on Monday. At one point, the Kangaroos were looking like they would have to be happy with a draw, but the huge blunders from the Indian team has given them hope for a win and they have won the match. Australia, on the fifth Day of the MCG Test defeated India by 184 runs. The day began with Australia getting all out at 234 runs and giving a mammoth target of 340 runs, which the Indian team couldn’t achieve and went all out of 155 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal tries to give a fight at 84 runs, but his unfortunate dismissal couldn’t save the Test for India. Now Australia is leading in the series with 2–1. The deciding Test will be played in Sydney from 3–7 January.
Rohit & Kohli falter again
India was left with the uphill task of chasing down 340 runs. The morning session filled with grit and determination. However, Rohit & Kohli were disappointing again with KL Rahul along with them this time. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc were relentless with their lines. Rohit Sharma faltered early under testing Australian conditions. Rohit misjudged a rising delivery, nicking it to slip. Later, KL Rahul tentative poke outside off led to his edge.
Their dismissals exposed India’s top order, putting pressure on the middle-order to stabilise the chase. The hosts again got a breakthrough as Starc dismissed Virat Kohli for just 5 runs. With Kohli’s dismissal, India was left at 33/3, placing the onus on Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal to rescue the innings.
Jasiwal and Pant lead the session forward
Jasiwal has displayed his usual flamboyance, unleashing a flurry of boundaries through cuts and sweeps. Jaiswal brought up his fifty with a well-timed boundary, showcasing resilience and technique. At lunch, India stood at 86/3, still far from their daunting target. The morning session belonged to Australia, but Pant and Jaiswal’s partnership brought a glimmer of hope.
Pant seals the fate for India
The afternoon session saw India adopt a defensive approach as Pant and Jaiswal aimed to blunt the Australian attack. Nathan Lyon and Travis Head bowled in tandem, extracting sharp turn and bounce. Both players were playing effectively giving India a hope for the chase. As tea approached, India reached 112/3, having added 79 runs in the session without losing a wicket.
The hopes didn’t last long as Rishabh Pant who is known for his aggressive style again plays a foolish shot to gift Australian team a sureshot move to go for the win. Rishabh Pant’s reckless pull off a half-tracker from Travis Head ended in a catch at deep midwicket, dismissing him for 30 and leaving India at 121/4. This wicket led to the collapse of the Indian Team.
Middle order woes and the collapse
After Rishabh Pant’s wicket, Ravindra Jadeja followed soon after edging Boland to the keeper for 2. Hero and centurian of the first innings, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s brief resistance ended against Lyon, edging to slip. From a stable 115/3, India crumbled to 132/6, leaving their innings in shambles with the lower order exposed. Later, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s gritty 84 ended controversially. Attempting a pull off Cummins, he was adjudged caught behind on review despite no edge on Snicko. Relying on a visible deflection, the third umpire upheld the dismissal, leaving India at 141/7.
Australia wins the match
Soon after, Akashdeep was caught at short leg off Boland, another review confirming the faintest edge. India’s hopes now rest on Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah to salvage a Test surely slipping away. Australia defeats India by 184 runs in the Melbourne Test after Siraj is LBW and Bumrah is caught at slips, leaving India all out for 155. Australia seals the victory.
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