The players of both India and Australia are going all out to win the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches, which are currently at 1-1 after the third Test match ended in a draw at the Gabba from brisbane.
India and Australia are currently pitted against each other in the must-win Test on Boxing Day at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first and posted a huge total of 474 runs on the board in their first innings against India.
Yashasvi Jaiswal shines amid India's struggling batsmen in the Boxing Day Test
While Steve Smith scored 140, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas all hit fifties to help Australia dominate the game right from the first innings. Captain Pat Cummins also played a brilliant knock of 49 against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.
However, Indian batsmen once again faltered in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 as their top order and middle order failed to fire again in this crucial Test match in Melbourne , except for Yashasvi Jaiswal who played a stunning knock of 82. runs against Australia.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's wicket sparked a dramatic collapse in the batting and they lost three wickets for just 38 runs. India started strongly on Day 3 but Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc's unusual tactics worked wonders for the hosts as Ravindra Jadeja lost his wicket to Nathan Lyon early in the morning at the MCG.
Mitchell Starc's unusual tactics add to India's woes at the MCG
Before the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Starc did a 'totka', removing the bails off the off-stump and then repairing them back in the 65th over, and in the same over, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon shattered the Indian all-rounder's defense to send him back to pavilion on day 3.
Earlier, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj had adopted this ploy and that time it worked as Nitish Kumar Reddy got the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne. This time too, Mitchell Starc's tactics worked wonders in favor of Nathan Lyon to eliminate Ravindra Jadeja in the ongoing Boxing Day Test.
Reacting to Starc doing a bail change trick for Jadeja, former Indian commentator Irfan Pathan found it funny as he felt the senior pacer did this unusual tactic for him while he was struggling to get a wicket as the Australian team was already in a strong position going into the match at the MCG.
Also Read: Watch: Mitchell Starc suffers huge back injury and leaves Australia shell-shocked at MCG
Irfan Pathan amused by Mitchell Starc's bail change during Boxing Day Test drama
Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports during commentary, “Even after Australia are in that position, if you have to bail, then Mitchell Starc is thinking about him because he didn't get the wicket. He wants the port.”
#Australia follow the bail change ritual and get paid instantly! 🫣#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 4th Trial, Day 3 | LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/1mAPvyNY6w
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 28, 2024
Talking about Jadeja's wicket, Lyon trapped Ravindra LBW as the Indian all-rounder was hit on the pads. The Australian spinner bowled a slider, angled in from outside off, and Jadeja tried to hit it with a closed face of the bat. However, he missed and the ball hit his back foot.
But Jadeja decided to take the review, which confirmed no contact with the bat as Snicko showed a clear gap between the bat and the ball. However, ball tracking confirmed that it clipped the top of middle and off the stumps.
Jadeja looked rushed by the skidding nature of the delivery and was caught off-balance by the decision to stay as the umpire's call and had to return after making 17 runs in the crucial fourth Test BGT 2024-25 underway at held at the MCG.