A roaring crowd of over 66,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a masterclass in Test cricket as Australia stormed to a remarkable victory over India. Pat Cummins' side, resilient as ever, turned a seemingly balanced game into a dominant triumph, dismantling India's batting order in the final session to go 2-1 up in the series.
India, chasing survival on a tense fifth day, underwent a remarkable collapse—losing seven wickets for just 34 runs. The turning point? A careless moment from Rishabh Pant.
Pants mistake sparks Indian slump
Rishabh Pants, often celebrated for his daring batting, played immediately at the hands of Australia after Tea. His mistimed effort to send a half-tracker from part-timer Travis Head soaring into the stands only found Mitchell Marsh at long-on. It was a soft dismissal at a critical juncture, with India seemingly on course to salvage a draw.
Pant's dismissal opened the floodgates. In just 27 deliveries, India lost two more wickets. Scott Boland's lethal delivery increased sharply, forcing him Ravindra Jadeja on an attempted sack that took him to the keeper. Soon after, Nathan Lyon trapped opener centurion Nitish Reddy for a single, Steve Smith completing a sharp catch at slip.
From 121/3, India surged to 130/6, their confidence shattered, their hopes gone.
Cummins and Co. Deliver the final blows
of Australians energetic and ruthless, bent on killing. Washington Sundar AND Yashasvi Jaiswal were greeted by a chirping Australian outfield, with players close behind, especially Sam Konstas, adding to the verbal pressure.
Cummins returned with renewed energy. He sent Jaiswal packing in controversial fashion – an attempt to pull the wicket. While Snicko failed to produce a convincing shot, the apparent deflection of the ball sealed Jaiswal's fate in the review.
The tail offered little resistance. Boland struck again, removing Akash Deep with a sharp catch at short leg.
Watch: “Did the referee get it wrong?” Yashasvi Jaiswal's shocking dismissal at the MCG sparks chaos
A day that started with pressure ended with defeat
India's problems started right at the top. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli faltered early, unable to cope with Australia's new ball attack. Rohit bowled a full delivery to the gully; Rahul was undone by Cummins' move; and Kohli, chasing a wide, departed moments before lunch.
The middle session offered a glimmer of hope. Jaiswal and Pant stitched together a partnership that briefly steadied the ship, boosting India's aspirations for a tough draw.
But by the last session, that hope was dashed. Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins combined in a clinical display to end the innings.
Boland claimed Bumrah, whose edge flew to Smith, and Lyon sealed the deal by trapping Mohammed Siraj LBW, sparking wild celebrations.
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