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On Monday, December 30, the Australian cricket team registered a commanding 184-run win over India in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Board (MCG) in Melbourne. The fifth and final day of the Test saw Australia restrict India below 200 during their run chase of 340 runs.
After Indian top order suffered a collapse with three key Indian batters in Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli departing in quick succession, the visitors bounced back with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant stitching a 79-run stand in the second session of the final day.
Australia win MCG Test after 13 years; go 2-1 up in BGT 2024-25
Coming into the third session with the scoreboard reading 112/3 and Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal looking good, India needed 228 runs off as many deliveries to take the game, but a crucial wicket from Travis Head, gave the hosts the much-needed momentum that they were looking at. India thereafter never looked to return in the game as they lost seven wickets in the final session, putting only 43 runs to their 112 runs at Tea.
On the other hand, Pat Cummins led from the front picking three wickets, Scott Boland also got as many in his 16-over spell in the second India inning. Nathan Lyon picked two wickets, whereas Mitchell Starc and Travis Head got one each to their name. With a win in Melbourne, Australia ended India’s 13-year-long unbeaten streak in Boxing Day Test in Australia. Moreover, the visitors failed to repeat the heroics of Sydney 2021, making it the first time Australia have won a red ball Test match against india in their home soil since 2018.
