Australia has taken a commanding 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar series and is on the brink of securing a second consecutive appearance in the ICC World Test Championship Final, following a thrilling 184-run victory over India. The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne concluded dramatically on Monday, with Australia sealing the win in the final hour of play.
The last Indian wicket fell with just 14 overs left in the day. Nathan Lyon dismissed Mohammed Siraj to ignite celebrations among the 74,000-strong crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The intense contest saw both teams showcasing exceptional skills, but it was Australia’s resilience that prevailed in the end.
With this victory, Australia now holds a 2-1 advantage in the five-match series and needs only to avoid defeat in Sydney to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The reigning World Test Champions also solidified their second-place standing in the ICC World Test Championship rankings. A win in any of their three remaining Tests this cycle will likely secure their spot in the 2025 final at Lord’s alongside South Africa.
India, despite the loss, still has a chance to qualify for the championship final. However, they must win the final Test in Sydney to level the series and then rely on Australia failing to win during their upcoming series in Sri Lanka.
Pat Cummins, awarded Player of the Match, delivered a crucial spell on the final day, taking 3/28 to destabilize India’s lineup before lunch. Yashasvi Jaiswal (88) and Rishabh Pant (30) briefly revived India’s hopes with an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, Pant’s dismissal by part-timer Travis Head (1/14) and Jaiswal’s controversial exit turned the tide in Australia’s favor.
Nathan Lyon, who bowled tirelessly throughout the day, claimed the final wicket to end what has been hailed as one of the finest Test matches in recent history on Australian soil.
Australia Playing 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 Playing 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.