Australia Clinches Test Thriller with Dramatic Win Over India to Lead Series 2-1
Australia pulled off a thrilling 184-run victory over India in the fourth Test in Melbourne on Monday, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. India collapsed to 155 all out with just 12.5 overs remaining, leaving them with no choice but to win the final Test in Sydney starting Friday to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Chasing an unlikely target of 340, India seemed on course to salvage a draw after openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant batted steadily through the second session. They reached 112-3 at tea, but Pant’s reckless shot off part-time spinner Travis Head led to a dramatic collapse as India’s last seven wickets fell for just 34 runs.
Jaiswal, who top-scored with 84, was dismissed by Australia captain Pat Cummins, who finished with 3-28. Nathan Lyon sealed the win by trapping Mohammed Siraj lbw, sparking wild celebrations from the Australian team.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc said the team remained confident throughout the match. “We had belief that we could get the job done,” he said, acknowledging the team’s calmness and resilience.
Pant’s dismissal for 30, after an 88-run partnership with Jaiswal, was the turning point. Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy followed quickly before Cummins ended Jaiswal’s gritty 208-ball knock in a controversial fashion. The on-field decision was overturned by the TV umpire, who found visual evidence suggesting the ball had changed direction, despite no audible sound.
Akash Deep was caught off Scott Boland, who took 3-39, and Jasprit Bumrah, who had earlier taken five wickets in the second innings, was dismissed for a duck. Washington Sundar remained not out on five after facing 45 balls.
Cummins had an outstanding match, taking six wickets and scoring 90 runs, the best batting total of his career. His early breakthroughs, including the dismissals of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, along with Starc’s dismissal of Virat Kohli, put Australia on top early in India’s chase.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, admitted the loss of key wickets in the early stages of the chase took away any chance of victory. “We wanted to fight till the end, but unfortunately couldn’t do it. It’s pretty disappointing,” he said.
Rohit also pointed out that Australia’s 61-run final-wicket stand between Lyon and Boland was a critical moment. It followed Bumrah’s brilliant spell, which had reduced Australia to 91-6 in their second innings, with a lead of less than 200.
The match set a new record for the highest attendance at any cricket match in Australia, with 373,591 fans attending over the five days.
Australia’s Travis Head described the match as one of the best Test matches he’s been part of. “It’s two bloody good teams going at it, and I felt like it ebbed and flowed throughout,” he said. “It’s just nice to come out with a win.”
