This page is no longer live, but check back soon for more Live Blogs!
Welcome to our live blog of the Boxing Day Test. If India win at the MCG, they retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. If Australia triumph, they remain on course for a first series win over India in a decade.
A defeat for the home side willl raise eyebrows while if India lose, their WTC fortune is out of their hands, although retaining the series trophy would still be possible. With a favourable forecast, a draw looks improbable, particularly given the ground’s recent history. The action set to unfold could take place in front of more than 90,000 spectators.
🇦🇺 are in command at MCG. The 112-stand between centurion Smith-Cummins propelled them over the 400-run mark as Indian bowlers lacked penetration.
In reply, 🇮🇳 rebuilt after losing 2 wkts under 51 runs through Jaiswal and Kohli before a maniac 15 minutes undid all the good work. pic.twitter.com/q9934NStHx
— Guerilla Cricket #GCFromHome (@guerillacricket) December 27, 2024
Disastrous fifteen minutes for India as both the set batters depart. The outside off-stump channel once again swallows Kohli. Was a lethal delivery from Boland to be fair. On a good length on the sixth stump line, pitches and seams away, Kohli pokes at it and nicks off. Probably a lapse in concentration due to the Jaiswal run-out has cost him. The complexion of the game has entirely changed after Jaiswal and Kohli’s century partnership seemed to be keeping India on track.
Jaiswal calls for a single fraught with danger and pays the price as Kohli did not reciprocate. Both the batters are at the non-striker’s end and the stumps have been dislodged by the keeper.
Jaiswal drove the ball firmly straight to mid-on and jetted off. Kohli was ball-watching and practically stayed put. crease. Jaiswal didn’t even bother to return back. A phenomenal innings from Jaiswal nonetheless, but this is a ribbon-laced present for Australia who have been handed a wicket against the run of play.
In this feature Aryan Surana wrote about Yashasvi’s relentless work on his ball-striking skill with Rajasthan Royals head of cricket Zubin Bharucha at the franchise’s academy in Nagpur. The collaborative effort put into fine-tuning his power hitting is evident from the stillness of his head at the point of contact and the rapier-like bat speed.
Mitchell Marsh serves a full-length ball to the well-set Jaiswal and he gives it the full monty to send the ball sailing over long-on. India have managed to stabilize the innings after losing two wickets under 51 runs so now that they’re in a position to dictate terms a bit, Jaiswal is leading the charge!
Yashasvi has a naturally attacking rhythm to his game and he likes to get on top of the opposition when he has momentum on his side. He has produced an emphatic flick off Starc and a down-the-ground whack off Lyon after notching up the half-century landmark.
Meanwhile, Konstas is indulging in some tomfoolery at the boundary rope. He is getting the crowd to join him in warm-up exercises, an age-old cricketing antic.
Terrific half-century from the youngster. He raises his bat and acknowledges the applause of the MCG crowd. The job is only half done as India need his daddy hundred. Kohli walks up and congratulates the southpaw.
India are rebuilding well. Jaiswal appears in good nick while Kohli is adamant to rise up to the occasion, parking away his chasing fetish to exhibit sound judgement in leaving the balls in the outside off stump channel. Remarkably, he hasn’t committed himself onto the front foot much and has waited for the ball to come to him to play late which has allowed him that extra split second. Delayed interception points brought him success in the Perth Test and it has been the case for key performers Jaiswal and Rahul too in this series.
Pushed a rung down the order to accomodate Rohit at the top, Rahul looked in fine fettle once again. He showed watertight technique and played a few delectable shots. It would have been a lovely session for India but Cummins worked his magic as he knocked over Rahul with a jaffa.
In the corridor of uncertainty, coming in with the natural angle but straightens after pitching, the line forces Rahul to play at it and he gets beaten all ends up. The ball hits the top of off.
ABSOLUTE SEED FROM CUMMINS! #AUSvIND | #DeliveredWithSpeed | @nbn_australia pic.twitter.com/zvzvkDyAnb
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2024
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal have come to India’s rescue after the early blow. The driving from the pair has been pristine and India would want them to recreate their partnership in the series opener.
In the press conference after the third Test of the series, Rohit remarked how he’s feeling good in the nets and is content with the way he’s batting even though the runs aren’t materializing in the middle. It sounded well and good from the Indian captain but the stone cold reality is that the scoresheet speaks for itself and on-ground performance is what matters at the end of the day.
Rohit is not being able to spend any time at the crease whatsoever and India continue to be hurt by his meager returns. He returned to the opening slot as India felt it gave them a good chance to bring the best out of the senior pro but irrespective of the batting position, it’s yet another failure and eyebrows will be raised, for sure.
It was a nothing delivery which could have easily been left alone but Rohit hops on one leg and tries to pull, the attempt is uncharacteristically half-hearted and the top-edge goes straight up. Boland runs to his right from mid-on and accepts the dolly. Horrible start to the Indian innings.
Much better display from India post Lunch. Jadeja struck in the first over after the break as he cleaned up Starc and Smith bizarrely chopped on while trying to dominate Akash Deep in the very next over.
Lyon and Boland mitigated for a while, the latter even got a couple of LBW decisions overturned but Rohit brought back his talisman and Bumrah wrapped up the innings in no time. A formidable first-innings total in the kitty, it is now up to the Australian bowlers to drive home the advantage.
Bumrah to Mitchell Starc, SIX, in the arc, and bashed out of the park! The gunshot crack of leather on willow! Mitchell Starc leans ahead and deposits the cherry over long-on to clear the big boundary there.
India are well and truly under the pump at the MCG. Play on the second day resumed at 311/6 and Australia have added quick runs to bolster their score.
Pat Cummins fell one shy of fifty, bringing an end to his partnership worth 112 (135) with centurion Steve Smith.
Steve Smith is engaging his beast mode now as India break into the Australia tail #BGT2024 #Cricket
LIVE BLOG: https://t.co/fRPGyX5AYF pic.twitter.com/ZWPjO3Xhx2
— Guerilla Cricket #GCFromHome (@guerillacricket) December 27, 2024
15 coming off the over as Australia run away with this game. Cummins played a cracking upper cut wide of backward point to find the fence on the first ball, which was short and wide and hence a poor opening salvo to start the over.
Cummins, who is growing in confidence, then stands his ground and places the cut past backward point. Beats a despairing dive from Yashasvi.
Losing his cool, Siraj fires in a bouncer that eludes everybody and gifts Australia five byes.
34th in Test cricket, his fifth century at the iconic MCG. Steve Smith is indisputably a run-machine!🔋✅
#INDvsAUS #BGT2024 #WTC25 #SteveSmith #CricketNews
— Guerilla Cricket (@guerillacricket.bsky.social) December 27, 2024 at 7:53 AM
Time for players to hydrate themselves. India were, simply put, flat in that first hour. There was a lack of zeal in the way they went about their business. Bumrah created issues for both batters but there was not much support from Akash Deep, who was outstanding yesterday despite now getting the rewards for his toil. The partnership between Smith and Cummins is already worth 72 and Australia are on their way to post a big first innings total.
Bumrah to Smith, SIX, streaky! A well-directed bouncer, Smith takes it on but fails to control the pull, the thick top-edge flies fine and clears the boundary rope.
Bumrah and Akash Deep had entwined to deliver three quiet overs but the latter has now leaked 15 off his 24th over to let Australia away. Premeditating the chin music and playing shots accordingly in this over, Pat Cummins moves to 34 off 40 balls.
Australia have started ebulliently, scoring 31 runs off 6 overs this morning. Akash Deep after bowling in commendable channels yesterday hasn’t found his line and length yet. Bumrah, however, has been probing away and needs to keep the pressure on the batters from the visitors’ standpoint.
Virat Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for shoulder barging Sam Konstas when the debutant was going hammer and tongs on the opening day. The incident was deemed a Level 1 Offence. The on-air commentators feel that the match referee was lenient and things could have been worse for the star cricketer.
