Jaiswal's fight in vain as Australia wins Boxing day test by 184 runs, take 2-1 lead in BGT

A crowd of over 66,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a gripping final day as Pat Cummins’ Australia seized a famous 184-run victory against India, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. The dramatic Indian collapse, losing seven wickets for just 34 runs in the final session, sealed the hosts' triumph.

Rishabh Pant's dismissal shortly after Tea became the turning point for India. Attempting to slog part-timer Travis Head, Pant found Mitchell Marsh at long-on, gifting Australia a crucial breakthrough after a wicketless middle session. India’s resolve crumbled as Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy were sent packing in quick succession by Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon, respectively.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who anchored India with a valiant 84, saw his fight end controversially. Pat Cummins' short ball led to a caught-behind appeal that was turned down by the on-field umpire, only for the third umpire to overturn it based on a deviation in the ball's trajectory. This left India reeling at 143/7, triggering Australia’s surge towards victory.

The day began disastrously for India, with their top three—Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli—failing to counter the new-ball spell from Cummins. Rohit edged to gully, Rahul nicked an unplayable delivery, and Kohli fell victim to an outside-the-off-stump chase.

Jaiswal and Pant briefly revived India’s hopes with a defiant stand, but the final session unravelled those efforts. Scott Boland’s lethal burst and Nathan Lyon’s guile ensured the collapse. India’s tail offered little resistance as Bumrah and Siraj were dismissed in quick succession, sealing the hosts' comprehensive win.

Australia’s bowlers were relentless, with Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon sharing all 10 second-innings wickets. India, despite promising performances from Nitish Reddy, Jaiswal, and Washington Sundar in the first innings, failed to withstand the pressure.