Patiala, 27 December (Sports Desk)
Steve Smith’s century and late wickets have put Australia firmly in control of the Boxing Day Test against India at the MCG.
Match Summary:
Australia posted a substantial total of 474, thanks to Steve Smith’s 140 and a valuable 49 from captain Pat Cummins. In response, India reached 164/5 by stumps on day two, losing key wickets late in the day.
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Key Moments:
- Smith’s Century: Steve Smith continued his strong form against India, scoring his 34th Test century (and 11th against India) with a well-timed boundary. He was eventually dismissed for 140, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of over 85,000.
- Australian Innings: Cummins supported Smith with a brisk 49, contributing to a 112-run partnership. While Jasprit Bumrah took 4 wickets, he conceded his most runs in a Test innings (4/99). Ravindra Jadeja (3/78) was arguably India’s best bowler.
- India’s Response: India lost early wickets, with Rohit Sharma (3) and KL Rahul (24) falling before tea. Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Virat Kohli (36) then formed a 102-run partnership, offering India hope. However, a crucial moment occurred when Kohli refused a quick single, leading to Jaiswal being stranded. Kohli was dismissed the following over by Scott Boland (2/24), shifting the momentum back to Australia. Boland then dismissed night-watchman Akash Deep (0) just before stumps, leaving India at 164/5. Rishabh Pant (6) and Ravindra Jadeja (4) will resume on day three.
Current Situation:
India trails by 310 runs and faces a significant challenge to recover in the remaining three days.
World Test Championship Implications:
This match is crucial not only for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (currently tied 1-1) but also for the ICC World Test Championship. Australia currently sits second (58.89% of possible points) and India third (55.88%), with South Africa leading the table (63.33%) and playing Pakistan in Centurion.
