Jasprit Bumrah’s wicket seals India’s defeat as Australia secure series advantage

Australia triumphed over India by 184 runs on the fifth day of the fourth men’s cricket Test, taking a commanding 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar series. The victory was sealed with the final wickets of India’s tail, with the home side’s bowling attack relentlessly pushing India to the brink.

Having set a daunting target of 340 for victory, Australia watched as India’s top order crumbled under intense pressure early in their second innings. India started day five with hope, but they quickly lost three key wickets, leaving them in a precarious position at 33 for 3 by lunch. The wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli fell to Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, respectively, with each batter failing to offer a serious challenge to Australia’s bowlers.

India’s top scorer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, fought valiantly, bringing up his half-century before eventually falling for 84, caught behind off the bowling of Pat Cummins. Jaiswal’s defiance was the highlight of a challenging innings, but it ultimately couldn’t prevent India from sliding to 140 for 7. As India’s hopes of an improbable recovery faded, they continued to lose wickets with alarming regularity.

Despite a brief resistance from Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, Australia’s relentless attack showed no mercy. Lyon dismissed Pant for 30, and Boland claimed the crucial wickets of Deep and Jadeja. The Indian innings unravelled further as Lyon and Boland struck again, reducing India to 155 all out, with Australia sealing victory late on the final day.

The result marks a remarkable comeback for Australia after a tense, record-breaking Boxing Day Test. Australia had previously posted 474 runs in their first innings before bowling India out for 369, but the pressure mounted as they set India a formidable chase. Their strong finish, highlighted by critical contributions from Lyon, Cummins, and Boland, ensured a comfortable win in the end.

Australia’s efforts were also bolstered by their own batting heroics in the first innings, with Usman Khawaja leading the charge with 121 runs. However, the decisive performance came in the second innings, as Australia’s bowlers effectively dismantled India’s lower order. Lyon’s spin was pivotal, and Cummins and Boland provided key breakthroughs.

As Australia celebrated the series advantage, India’s defeat highlighted their struggles in the Test match. With the series now finely poised, the two teams will head into the final Test with everything to play for. The result also underlined Australia’s dominance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, continuing their strong tradition at this iconic venue.

India will be disappointed with their batting performance, especially given the early breakthroughs they had in the Australian second innings. The loss marks another blow to their bid for a series win, but they remain hopeful of bouncing back in the final match.

The fifth day’s play had all the drama of a typical Boxing Day Test, with tense moments, incredible individual performances, and a thrilling conclusion that leaves the series hanging in the balance as the teams prepare for the decider.