By Ashok Kumar:–
Australia 474 (Smith 140, Labuschagne 72, Bumrah 4-99) and 234 (Labuschagne 70, Bumrah 5-57) beat India 369 (Reddy 114, Jaiswal 82, Boland 3-57) and 155 (Jaiswal 84, Cummins 3-28, Boland 3-39) by 184 runs (ESPN)
A record crowd at MCG experienced ,Australia take a dramatic 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series against India. India famous for harakiri came true to it’s reputation on final day of the Boxing Day Test that India never lost recently, but Australia won all matches against all opponents now. Critics and experts were predicting a draw but things went Australia way.
Yashasvi Jaiswal defied the home side for 208 deliveries before falling to the herculean Pat Cummins while hometown star Scott Boland made three key incisions to secure one of Australia’s most significant victories of recent history. Nathan Lyon claimed the final wicket, when he pinned Mohammed Siraj lbw, sparking wild celebrations for the home side: a margin of 184 runs did not do justice to the tension and drama of the final day and the importance of the result to this Australia team who have turned their fortunes around after the crushing opening defeat in Perth
After India had slid to 33 for 3, Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant added 88 in 32 overs to take India into the final session with seven wickets in hand, but Travis Head burgled the wicket of Pant and Australia seized their moment as India lost 7 for 34. The quick bowlers were immense, Mitchell Starc bowling in the mid-140kph region despite a back niggle, while Cummins and Boland added further chapters to previous MCG heroics. Cummins earned the Johnny Mullagh Medal as Player of the Match for an outstanding all-round Test in which he also contributed 90 runs alongside his six wickets.
The six cost Pant his wicket. He was well set to take India home but greed for a six landed him short. The flourished partnership opened the floodgates of the downslide. o one not even Nitish Reddy, the century maker of first innings could survive.
Sam Konstas took on the Bumrah bull by horn on Day 1 of the Boxing day Test at the MCG. Usman Khawaja provided the second fiddle. Both scored half centuries later joined by Marnus Labuschagne with well made 72.
Konstas made his Test debut with a stunning half-century off just 52 balls, by taking on Jasprit Bumrah, the best bowler of the series In the second innings, Bumrah clean bowled him for 8 runs.
