Melbourne, Dec 30 (UNI) At the lunch break on Day 5, Australia is firmly in control as India reels at 33 for 3, needing 307 runs to achieve an improbable victory at the MCG here on Monday.
The hosts, led by Pat Cummins, put on a dominant display in the morning session, taking three crucial wickets, including Indian captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli.
India started the day positively, taking just 10 balls to wrap up Australia’s innings, with Jasprit Bumrah completing a well-deserved five-wicket haul. Bumrah’s 5 for 57 capped another stellar Boxing Day Test performance, reducing Australia’s lead to 339 runs.
Chasing 340, India faced immediate challenges. The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal held steady initially, playing out 10 overs cautiously against Mitchell Starc and Cummins. Jaiswal showed glimpses of composure, driving Starc down the ground for a boundary and surviving a few testing deliveries in the off-stump channel.
However, Cummins changed the game in a dramatic over. First, he dismissed Rohit (9 off 40) with a delivery that straightened, forcing a leading edge, brilliantly caught by Mitchell Marsh at gully. The Australia captain struck again moments later, dismissing KL Rahul (0 off 5) with a back-of-a-length delivery that took the edge, brilliantly pouched by Usman Khawaja at first slip.
India went further into their shell, with Jaiswal and Virat Kohli adopting a cautious approach. However, just before lunch, Mitchell Starc delivered a body blow, inducing an outside edge from Kohli (5 off 29) with a full, swinging delivery. Khawaja, once again sharp in the slips, completed the dismissal, leaving India in disarray.
Cummins continues his phenomenal record against Rohit, dismissing him for the fourth time in as many innings this series. Starc also stepped up with precision, using the swinging ball effectively to build pressure on India’s batsmen.
With Jaiswal (14* off 83) holding fort, India faces an uphill task in the remaining two sessions. Australia’s bowlers, led by Cummins and Starc, will look to exploit the conditions and seal a memorable win.
