Australia win thriller to take series lead - reportpublished at 07:16 Greenwich Mean Time 30 December 2024
Australia beat India by 184 runs in a thrilling conclusion to the fourth Test in Melbourne to take a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India were set a target of 340 in 92 overs and batted cautiously throughout the innings with little ambition to chase victory.
But a sensational bowling performance in the evening session saw Australia take the final seven wickets for just 34 runs as India were bowled out for 155 in the final hour.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal looked determined to seal a hard-fought draw for India after a top-order slip to 33-3 before he was caught behind off Pat Cummins for 84 from 208 balls with 21 overs remaining.
Jaiswal had earlier battled through a wicketless afternoon session with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who made 30 from 104 balls - but they were the only batters to pass double figures.
Pant's departure after tea sparked the collapse, as he ran out of patience by slogging Travis Head to long-on for another wasteful dismissal.
Cummins and Scott Boland finished with three wickets each while spinner Nathan Lyon took two after his batting heroics, falling for 41 in the second over of the day as Australia were all out for 234.
He was bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, who finished with 5-57 in another scintillating performance.
The series concludes in Sydney from 2 January, where a win would secure Australia's place in the World Test Championship final.