India can moan all they want, but Australia’s dominance evident in Melbourne
After suffering a heavy defeat in the first Test, Australia’s remarkable comeback story and subsequently leading the series is one for the legends, but can India truly be absolved of responsibility for their own downfall?
The debate over whether Yashasvi Jaiswal was out or not continues to rage, with a variety of opinions on the controversial dismissal. Indian supporters, naturally, are upset about the decision, and among them is the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who believes it was nothing more than an optical illusion. However, most of the cricketing world has sided with the 'out' decision, including experts like Ricky Ponting, Michael Vaughan, and even former umpire Simon Taufel.
At that point, there were still 21.2 overs left in the fifth day of play. Australia needed four wickets to win, while India required 200 runs to win, the possibility of India winning was not even an option, as they were clearly playing for the draw, and it all hinged on the opener, Jaiswal. He was batting on 84 runs when a Pat Cummins bouncer was appealed by Australia for a catch behind to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. The on-field umpire didn't give him out, and upon reviewing the decision, it went to third umpire Sharfuddoula.
Replays showed that the ball had touched both the bat and gloves, and Sharfuddoula mentioned that he clearly saw a change in the trajectory of the ball. However, to be absolutely certain, he checked the Snicko. But that's where things went awry – the Snicko didn't show clear evidence, yet Sharfuddoula still gave the out decision. This led to much frustration from Jaiswal, who had some words with the umpires as he walked off.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Amidst all this controversy, Australia's remarkable comeback story is somewhat overshadowed. India had won the last three iterations of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and had even beaten Australia on their own soil in the last two series. Australia's last series win was over a decade ago. The series began terribly for Pat Cummins' side, losing the first Test in Perth by a massive 295-run margin, with India's Jasprit Bumrah taking charge with the ball.
From there, the story turned towards Australia making a comeback, as only they could. In Adelaide, with the pink-ball Test under lights, the bowlers and Travis Head combined to secure a dominant 10-wicket victory. However, even then, players like McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steven Smith were still struggling to face Bumrah's deliveries.
In the third Test in Brisbane, Travis Head unleashed another storm, but this time, Steven Smith returned to form, scoring his 33rd Test century. For the first time in the series, Australia managed to surpass 400 runs in an innings. The bowlers supported the effort brilliantly, almost sealing the match in their favor. However, rain and bad weather seemed to act as saviors for Rohit Sharma's team. India's wild celebrations after avoiding the follow-on made it clear to anyone watching that they felt like they had already won the match!
Even though India survived that ordeal, they couldn't escape at Melbourne. Every day of the Boxing Day Test will be remembered for one reason or another. It was undoubtedly one of the greatest matches of all time, and this match will serve as a reminder of why Test cricket is still considered the ultimate form of the game. On the first day, a 19-year-old newcomer, who had just crossed adolescence, stunned Jasprit Bumrah by ramping reverse scoops over third man—almost as if Bumrah was just a local bowler. Sam Konstas's dominance became too much for Virat Kohli to handle, leading him to push Konstas in frustration. Controversy and tension seemed to follow the Melbourne Test right from day one.
For the first time in the series, all of Australia's top order found their form during this match. On the second day, Steven Smith's 34th century, which placed him alongside Brian Lara, demonstrated that, despite his recent struggles, he had not lost his ability to perform. Australia posted a formidable total of 474 in their first innings, yet, amidst this dominance, Jasprit Bumrah continued to shine—while the Australian batsmen were in full flow, Bumrah stood firm, as if single-handedly dousing the fiery eruption of Vesuvius.
Following this, India's top and middle order crumbled in quick succession. After a promising start, a misunderstanding between Kohli and Jaiswal led to the latter's undoing. From that point, wickets tumbled rapidly, and India was left staring at the prospect of a follow-on. However, if the situation had been that straightforward, it would not have been a contest between two of the world's top teams. Amidst the collapse, Nitish Kumar Reddy stood tall with remarkable buoyancy, scoring his first-ever Test century. He single-handedly revived the team from the brink of defeat, guiding them to a position where at least a draw seemed within reach.
When Australia began their second innings with a 105-run lead, most predicted that a draw was the most likely outcome. However, after losing two wickets and scoring just 80 runs, it seemed that if Australia could score quickly, they might still have a chance to win. At that point, no one saw any possibility for India to mount a challenge. But, as always, Bumrah was there to shift the momentum. In an instant, Australia's score of 80 for 2 was transformed into 91 for 6. Under Bumrah's relentless assault, Australia began to falter, their lead shrinking to a mere 196 runs. If Australia collapsed quickly, India could even find a way to win.
Then, once again, the match took another turn. While his primary role is with the ball, Australian captain Pat Cummins made vital contributions with the bat, scoring 49 runs in the first innings and 41 in the second, totaling 90 runs across both innings. Additionally, he claimed four wickets in the first innings.
As Cummins walked off as Australia's ninth wicket, it still seemed like India had a slight edge, with a 278-run lead and an entire day still left to play. But in the final-wicket partnership, Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland tenaciously held on for nearly 18 more overs, adding 55 runs to the total. They clung on like stubborn leeches, and even Bumrah couldn't remove them from the crease.
After adding six more runs on the fifth day, Lyon was bowled out by Bumrah's delivery, and Australia set a target of 340 runs for India. With 92 overs still remaining in the day, India had explosive batsmen like Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant, alongside innings-builders like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Before India began their chase, all three possible outcomes seemed plausible, but the most challenging scenario appeared to be an Australian win. India's slow start suggested they were playing for a draw, yet Australia raised hopes by taking three wickets for just 33 runs.
However, in the second session, Jaiswal and Pant held firm, not allowing any more wickets to fall. The run rate wasn't very high, and both teams, along with the spectators, appeared to be preparing for a draw when the third session began. This is precisely what makes Test cricket so special – it's the ultimate form of the game. And in this instance, Australia could very well thank Pant, whose reckless shot inadvertently paved the way for their victory. Up until the tea break, India had been relatively comfortable.
Chasing a target of 340 runs, they were at 3 wickets for 112, with Jaiswal and Pant forming a solid 79-run partnership that kept Australia at bay. The frustration on the faces of the Australian players was evident as they struggled to break the partnership. However, after the tea break, the final session saw Australia seize the initiative, shattering India's hopes of securing a draw. Australia swiftly dismissed Jadeja and Nitish, the century-maker from the first innings, but they still required four more wickets. At the crease, Jaiswal and Washington Sundar, the half-centurion from the first innings, held firm, with approximately 30 overs remaining. The two left-handers managed to survive nearly nine of those overs together before the controversy over Jaiswal's dismissal unfolded.
Pat Cummins' side didn't waste any time, sensing victory was within reach. The Australian captain surrounded the batsmen with fielders, applying intense pressure. After facing 17 balls, Akash Deep fell to a catch at short leg off Boland's delivery, and just one over later, Bumrah followed, caught in the slip by Steven Smith, who took a brilliant diving catch off Boland's ball. Cummins, keen on closing the match, placed fielders on both sides in an 'umbrella' formation, further tightening the noose around the batsmen. In the 79.1st over, Siraj was dismissed LBW off Lyon's delivery, and with that, Australia claimed a historic victory.
After suffering a heavy defeat in the first Test, Australia's remarkable comeback story and subsequently leading the series is one for the legends, but can India truly be absolved of responsibility for their own downfall? Setting aside the ongoing controversy surrounding Jaiswal's dismissal, is it realistic for Rohit Sharma's team to feel content with their performance following the first Test? Across the six innings played since Perth, India posted scores of 180, 175, 260, 369, and 155, which indicates that in half of those innings, they failed to even reach 180 runs. Moreover, during this period, both captain Rohit Sharma and the usually dependable Virat Kohli struggled, with neither able to surpass the 40-run mark in any of the innings.
In the course of four matches, Australia saw 57 of their wickets fall, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming a remarkable 30 of those. The second-highest wicket-taker was Siraj, with 16 wickets to his name, meaning the remaining bowlers, including Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Akash Deep, collectively managed only 11 wickets. In contrast, the Australian bowlers operated in a more unified manner, with Pat Cummins accounting for 20 of India's 66 wickets, Mitchell Starc claiming 15, Scott Boland 11, and Nathan Lyon taking 8.
Therefore, even if former Indian cricket legends continue to blame Jaiswal's controversial dismissal as the cause of their misfortune, the team's batting weaknesses and heavy reliance on Bumrah cannot be overlooked. Moreover, Australia has once again proven their supremacy, showing why they are still the leading force in world cricket. Considering all that has unfolded, it is clear that a thrilling and intense Test awaits in Sydney, with India's hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final now hanging by a thread.
