Pat Cummins, star bowler of Australia, delivered a stunning opening spell on the last day of the fourth Test, claiming two early wickets to leave India reeling. At the time of writing, India were precariously placed at 25/2 in 19 overs, needing another 315 runs with eight wickets in hand to achieve a historic victory.
Earlier, at the close of the fourth day, India faced the daunting prospect of a record-breaking run chase on Monday after a gripping day of cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The stage was set for a dramatic finale, as both teams prepared for the final showdown of an intensely contested Test match. Sunday’s play witnessed several twists and turns, featuring standout performances and critical moments that have left the match hanging in the balance.
India’s pace ace Jasprit Bumrah was once again the standout performer with the ball, taking 4/56 in a mesmerizing spell that nearly swung the momentum in India’s favor. Despite Bumrah’s heroics, Australia’s batting depth shone through. Marnus Labuschagne anchored the innings with a gritty 70, while captain Pat Cummins’ crucial 41 added valuable runs. However, it was the unbroken 55-run partnership between tailenders Nathan Lyon (41*) and Scott Boland (10*) that extended Australia’s lead to a formidable 333 runs.
India now face a monumental task to chase down this total, which would surpass the highest successful fourth-innings run chase at the MCG—332/7 by England against Australia in 1928. While the odds seem stacked against them, India can draw inspiration from their remarkable victory at the Gabba in 2021, where they chased down 328 to clinch the series. Several players from that historic triumph are part of the current lineup.
Australia, on the other hand, will be brimming with confidence after their recent exploits in the ICC World Test Championship Final, where they bowled India out for 234 in the final innings. Cummins’ early breakthroughs on Day 5 have already put the visitors on the back foot, dismissing both Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul cheaply.
Beyond this match, the stakes are high for the World Test Championship standings. Australia currently occupy second place with a win percentage of 58.89%, while India sit third at 55.88%. With South Africa leading the table at 63.33% and playing Pakistan in Centurion, every match carries significant weight in the race for the final at Lord’s in June 2025.
Teams:
• Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
• India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.