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Welcome to our live blog of the Boxing Day Test. A defeat for the home side is pretty much off the table from here on, as India have lost their top-order before Lunch on the final day chasing 340. If Australia triumph, they remain on course for a first series win over India in a decade. Can India bat out two sessions and force a draw? Having the awareness now that they can’t potentially lose Australia will come hard at them, so it’s going to be a tough ask.
Siraj is caught stonedead but he takes the review, more out of hope than conviction. Three reds and Australia are hollering. Stranded at the other end, Washington wears a crestfallen look.
An emphatic performance from Australia. They seized the key moments in Melbourne and as a result, go 2-1 up in the series with a game left. Their chances to qualify for the WTC final improve.
An outstanding catch from Smith at first slip! Razor sharp reflexes on display. A lot has been asked of Bumrah in this series and he was currently tasked with the responsibility to survive as India eyed a draw. He is no mug with the bat but isn’t able to support Washington on this occasion, miscuing a frontfoot block.
Length ball angling into leg stump, Akash Deep chooses to flick, and it pops straight to short leg. Australia think he’s gone, but Joel Wilson doesn’t think so. Australia review.
Went off the flap of the pad. Did it kiss the bat on the way? There’s a little bit of a deflection again, and once more Ultra Edge doesn’t seem to catch it. Wilson is forced to reverse his decision again.
Zoomed-in replays show a slight red imprint on the inside edge as the ball passed the bat. Australia are within touching distance of a win.
Australian fans are rejoicing in the stands. Presumably a slower short ball around leg, the field was set for the bumper and Jaiswal walks right into the trap. He looks to pull but can only splice the ball behind to Carey who dives forward and takes it inches above the turf. There was no murmur on Snicko but umpire Sharfuddoula trusted the visual evidence, which showed a clear deflection, and overturned the decision.
Exactly what Australia had on their mind when they hurled the ball to part-timer Travis Head. They were tempting the Indian batters to go after an inferior bowler and offer a wicket-taking opportunity. Pant has taken the bait as he tries to pummel a shortish ball over midwicket, and miscues horribly. Marsh at long on runs back and around to complete the catch. Jaiswal and Pant added 88 runs for the fourth wicket, and ushered India through a wicketless middle session.
With a new batter at the crease, Cummins brings back his seamer and Boland strikes immediately. Short of a length ball outside off, leaps at Jadeja, who attempts to fend it away to off. It takes the edge, though, and Alex Carey gobbles it up.
India were then reduced to their final batting pair as first-innings centurion Nitish Kumar Reddy edged a Lyon slider to slip, where Steve Smith awaits. Australia have roared back into the contest to throw the game wide open!
Starc is back into the attack for a little burst before Tea. Can he break this partnership to end the brilliant rearguard display from Jaiswal and Pant?
The application shown by the two southpaws is praiseworthy, considering the fact that they are very fierce batters in general. Adaptability is a hallmark of great cricketers; Jaiswal and Pant have managed to park away their natural instincts and play the situation in front of them. India would be breathing much easier after having lost 3 wickets for 33 runs.
The opener has played the ball on merit, blending attack and defence to keep Australia at bay. He gets to the landmark with a masterful backfoot flick off Lyon, which fetches him his seventh four of the innings. He’s paid respect to the bowling when due, scoring only 14 off the first 85 balls he faced, but post Lunch there seems to be an effort to move the game forward in Pant’s company. Acquires the milestone off the 127th delivery he faced.
While the axe dangles on India’s bulwarks, the ones from the current crop – Jaiswal, Washington and Reddy – have exhibited that the future is in safe hands.
An eerily close lbw review. Jaiswal must’ve had his heart in his mouth.
Mitchell Starc bowls an inducker to Jaiswal, who is caught on the crease. The ball rams into the back pad just above the knee roll. Australia go up in appeal and the umpire turns it down.
The replays show the ball tailing in considerably, but still hitting Jaiswal in front of middle and leg. The ball tracker projects it to hit the top of leg stump. It’s not just clipping the pole – it is in fact hitting the stump flush.
There’s an asterisk, though. The height. This ball is brushing the very top of the stump, and that is enough for the UDRS system to deem it an “umpire’s call”. If the ball had hit Jaiswal a couple of centimetres lower, that would probably have been three reds and therefore, out. Australia keep the review.
We’re back after lunch, and in the second over of the afternoon session, Boland offers width to Yashasvi who accepts it with both hands. Plays controlled cut shots to both wide freebies, thrashing one along the ground, and the next over the top of the infield.
The last over before Lunch and Kohli has chased a wide tempter for the umpteenth time! Gosh, this must be incredibly frustrating to watch for the Indian fans. The dismissal pattern continues unabated as Kohli gut lured into a booming drive by Starc, who threw the half-volley wide outside the off-stump. Decent grab from Khawaja at first slip as the ball was travelling low to his left.
India are knee deep in trouble and need a few robust partnerships to save the game from this vulnerable position. Two left-handers at the crease now in Pant and Jaiswal.
Rohit and Rahul departing in quick succession means that India have to play with a hyper-vigilant approach. Saving the match will be the top priority for them right now. There’ll be high hopes from Kohli, the senior pro, to see the team through in a crunch situation.
Mitchell Marsh has been introduced into the attack fairly early. Wonder where Starc stands with regards to fitness. Carey is keeping up to the stumps. Over the wicket to Jaiswal.
In one over, Pat Cummins has shaken up the equilibrium in the Indian camp. Australia’s chances of victory improve significantly. Rohit Sharma was being extremely cautious and not offering shots. His first attempt at a scoring shot brings about his downfall. This was fullish, a little outside off, and Rohit tries to whip it around the corner. He ends up edging to gully instead where Marsh takes a sharp catch despite standing in closer than usual due to the low carrying rate of edges.
Then last ball of that same over, KL Rahul shapes to defend a back-of-a-length ball on about a fourth stump line. However, he has a sudden change of mind and decides to belatedly leave it. In that indecision, he nicks off to second slip.
India are now without two of their most experienced batters. Australia have their tails up and they are well and truly smelling blood.
India have started on a promising note with the bat after they took only 10 balls to ensnare the last Australian wicket. Rohit has, for a change, looked assured at the crease. Jaiswal struggled in the outside off channel against Starc but he has hung in and is now growing in confidence. Solid defence has been the order of the day so far and the duo will be keen to continue in the same vein. The pitch has played quite well and there are no demons on it, unlike the morning session on the on the fourth day when there was a lot of lateral movement on offer.
Australia added six runs to their overnight score before Nathan Lyon fell to Jasprit Bumrah to leave India with a record fourth-innings run chase if they are to come out victors in the Boxing Day Test. The Indian pace spearhead collected his fifth wicket of the innings when he castled Lyon for 41 in the second over of the day. India now require 340 to win from 92 overs.
