Australia Takes 2-1 Lead In BGT Series With Dominant Victory, Leaving India's WTC Final Dreams Hanging By Thread

Australia defeated India by 184 runs in the Melbourne Test, taking a 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy lead. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal’s valiant 84, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland’s superb spells dismantled India.

AUS vs IND 4th Test: Scott Boland and Pat Cummins led Australia to a massive 184-run victory over India in the Melbourne Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday. With the win, Australia took a 2-1 lead in the prestigious BGT series. While India's road to the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord's deem away. India resumed the third session on Day 05 at 112/3, with still hope of winning the game.

Rishabh Pant 28 and Yashasvi Jaiswal were unbeaten on the crease and started the final session of the match on a good note and faced the Aussie spin attack with confidence.

The 59th over in the third session emerged as the game-changing point for the tourists. Travis Head's spell helped Australia to dismiss Rishabh Pant in the fourth ball of the 59th over. The India wicketkeeper-batter tried to attack the Aussie spinner and sent the ball over the long-on but didn't have enough power to cross the boundary. Mitchell Marsh ran to his left and took a good catch to get rid of Pant.

The Aussie bowling attack rattled the Indian middle-order batters. Ravindra Jadeja who replaced Pant on the crease didn't get enough time to settle in. In the 63rd over, Scott Boland came back into the attack and proved his worth. The Aussie pacer removed Jadeja in the 63rd over for two runs. India were 127/5 in the 63rd over.

First inning's hero Nitish Kumar Reddy came on the crease with lots of pressure on his shoulder. The India all-rounder could not put up a show in the second inning as he became the victim of Nathan Lyon's fiery spell.

The Indian all-rounder came on the crease with a hope of cementing a partnership with Yashasvi but the Aussie spinner got rid of him in the 64th over for just one run. India were 132/6 after the end of the 64th over.

Washington Sundar replaced Nitish on the crease and tried to build a stand with Jaiswal, who tried his best to propel India towards a draw in the match.

In the 71st over, skipper Pat Cummins got rid of Yashasvi Jaiswal in a controversial manner. Jaiswal tried to go for a pull shot against Cummins' short ball delivery but missed it. Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey didn't make a mistake to catch. The on field umpire's original decision was not out, however, the Australian skipper didn't waste time to take the DRS.

In the replay. third umpire Sharfuddoula checked the Snickometer where there was no spike but the visuals showed the ball hit Jaiswal's bottom glove and then went to the keeper. The third umpire went with the visual evidence and overturned the original decision. Yashasvi walked back to the pavillion after scoring 84 runs from 208 balls, with India's hope of drawing the match deemed away. The decision drew huge jeers from the Indian fans in the crowd with some of them chanting, "Cheater-Cheater."

Akash Deep and Washington Sundar on the crease kept rotating the strike and slowly added runs. However, the Aussie set an attacking field aiming to clinch a win. In the 77th over, Scott Boland struck again as he dismissed Akash Deep for seven runs. India were 150/8 after the end of the 77th over.

Australia inch a step closer to victory as Boland removed Jasprit Bumrah for an eight-ball duck in the 79th over. India needed 186 runs to win at that point in time which seemed impossible, while Australia just needed one wicket to clinch a massive victory in the Boxing Day Test of the BGT series.

Mohammed Siraj replaced Bumrah and joined Washington Sundar on the crease. However, they couldn't handle the pressure against the Aussie bowlers. The hosts set an attacking field trying to end the game as soon as possible. Siraj became the last victim of the Australia spinner Nathan Lyon, as the Aussie removed him in the 79.1th over for a two-ball duck. With the wicket, Australia clinched an 184-run victory over India.

Scott Boland and Pat Cummins led the Aussie bowling attack during India's second inning as they picked three wickets each in their respective spells. Lyon bagged two wickets. Mitchell Starc and Travis Head took one wicket each in their respective spells. With the massive win, Australia took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Brief Score: Australia 474 & 234 (Marnus Labuschagne 70, Nathan Lyon 41; Jasprit Bumrah 5-57) vs India 369 & 155 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 84, Rishabh Pant 30; Pat Cummins 3/28).